British electric vehicle manufacturer Tevva has successfully completed development of the regenerative braking system on its 7.5t battery-electric truck. Part of this involved working with global Tier 1 supplier ZF to integrate its Electronic Brake System (EBS) for use in zero-emission Tevva electric trucks.

The implementation of EBS (Electronic Brake System) allowed for a safe incorporation of regenerative braking up to 180 kW, whereas the traditional air brake system had limited passive regen to around 40 kW due to safety considerations.

ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions (CVS) is the world’s largest supplier to the commercial vehicle industry offering solutions for vehicle motion control, integrated safety, automated driving, and electric mobility. ZF worked with Tevva to adapt its EBS for deployment in the Tevva 7.5t battery electric vehicle, which uses a blend of regenerative and compressed air brakes to add an extra layer of safety and responsiveness for drivers.

Tevva’s engineers successfully met a range of stringent testing criteria for the company’s truck to receive ZF’s approval, working on fine-tuning the electric truck’s vehicle control unit (VCU) and enhance compatibility with the EBS.

The result is a system that recuperates up to four times more energy than a conventional compressed air brake system, optimizing the range of the Tevva truck. Testing of the adapted system, which took place at the ZF test track in Jeversen, Germany, involved a variety of conditions, gradients and surface types.

Technological advancements allow a modern EBS system to control the blending of friction braking with the e-motor, reducing brake wear and tear. The system transfers the driver’s deceleration request electronically to all braking system components to shorten response time, balance brake forces and provide ease of braking and efficient brake management.

Tevva’s 7.5t battery-electric vehicle (BEV) has this year begun mass production at the company’s London facility. This will be followed by a 7.5t hydrogen-electric truck, which benefits from a hydrogen range-extender that enhances vehicle range to 354 miles (570 km). The Tevva BEV offers up to 140 miles (227 kilometers) from its 105 kWh battery on a single charge and is ideal for last-mile and urban delivery fleets.