Denkendorf, 08/16/2023 – The mobility and system partner of vehicle operators and manufacturers, BPW Bergische Achsen KG and the electrification specialist pepper motion GmbH have signed an agreement on a strategic partnership. As part of the long-term cooperation, future collaboration is planned in the areas of telematics and digital services, parts procurement, and electrification solutions relating to trailers and their connection to tractor units. As part of the agreement, pepper will take over the 7.5-ton e-truck “BAX” developed by BPW into its product portfolio. This means that the entire product responsibility, sales, marketing and after sales will be transferred to pepper with immediate effect. BPW supplies pepper with core components such as the all-electric eTransport axle.
With the BAX, pepper is adding a high-quality electric product, made in Germany, to its vehicle portfolio in the 7.5-ton market: Although originally designed for inner-city operation, the BAX, with a battery capacity of up to 126 kWh, manages a range of over 200 kilometers and is thus also suitable for interurban operation. The flexibly adaptable, intelligent chassis architecture saves weight, and the low and compact cabin ensures greater safety and comfort in the city.
The innovative eTransport electric axle drive from BPW continues to form the heart of the powerful e-truck and meets the highest quality standards. Unlike conventional concepts, the drive is not located under the engine hood, but directly in the axle. The drive concept is economical and sustainable, highly efficient, quiet and emission-free, and easy to integrate thanks to its compact design.
High-growth market segment for zero-emission 7.5-ton trucks
Until now, the focus in the electric commercial vehicle market has been on vans up to 3.5 t or on trucks larger than 7.5 t. For the important class of 7.5-ton trucks in their diverse designs and application scenarios, there has been only a small offering with zero-emission drives to date. Yet this vehicle segment in particular is another important lever in achieving CO2 targets and is mainly needed in inner cities as a smaller e-transport solution. Due to the mostly low range requirements and the predominant depot charging options, this 7.5-ton vehicle class is perfectly suited for electrification and quickly contributes to the decarbonization of delivery traffic in urban areas. In its design and with an impressive 3 ton payload, the BAX e-truck perfectly serves the desired customer requirements.
Following the successful product launch in October 2021, numerous test deployments, and a successful Germany-wide roadshow, the first BAXs delivered are already proving their performance in everyday customer use.
Current customer inquiries and existing orders for the BAX are being handled jointly by BPW and pepper. New customers will be served directly by the pepper sales team with immediate effect. Focusing on the German market, double-digit sales are expected by mid-2024. Thanks to the vehicle’s EU type approval, there is also nothing to stop it from being launched in other markets.
Two partners, one goal – sustainable transport solutions
“We are delighted to have found a long-term, strategic partner in pepper, who is an expert in climate-neutral vehicle and drive concepts and, like us, stands for technical innovation. With the development of the production-ready 7.5-ton e-truck BAX, we at BPW have taken an important step towards decarbonizing road freight transport. Within our core business of chassis systems, sustainable solutions for the transport of goods continue to be a strategically important area of business,” says Markus Schell, personally liable managing partner of BPW.
“The BAX ideally expands our product portfolio, and we can now serve a promising market segment with this high-quality vehicle model in the short term. In the medium term, the BAX technology is a valuable basis in the development of further electrification solutions for the 7.5-ton market,” explains Andreas Hager, CEO of pepper. “A 125-year company history speaks for itself – with BPW, we are gaining a reliable and innovative partner with whom we have a lot in common. Our mutual goal is to continue to push CO2 neutrality in the commercial vehicle sector with innovative emission-free products and solutions.”
About BPW Bergische Achsen Kommanditgesellschaft
BPW Bergische Achsen KG is the parent company of the BPW Group. With around 1,500 employees, including around 100 trainees, the family-run company has been developing and producing complete running gear systems for truck trailers and semi-trailers at its headquarters in Wiehl since 1898. BPW’s technologies include axle systems, brake technology, suspension and bearings. BPW’s trailer axles and running gear systems are in use in millions of vehicles around the world. An extensive range of services also provides vehicle manufacturers and vehicle operators with the opportunity to increase economic efficiency in their production and transport processes.
Press contact:
Robin Becker
Email: BeckerR@bpw.de
Phone: +49 2262 78 1905
About pepper motion GmbH
pepper – electrifying transportation!
pepper electrifies – Innovative solutions for used and new commercial vehicles. With its holistic approach from electrification to telematics, charging infrastructure, and fleet management, the company designs quickly implementable and cost-efficient solution packages for a sustainable mobility transformation.
By repowering existing commercial vehicles with certified pepper kits for buses and trucks, vehicles are given an environmentally friendly “second life” and therefore enable the most sustainable form of mobility, both ecologically and economically, making an active contribution to reducing emissions in transport and implementing the Clean Vehicles Directive.
pepper is ISO 9001 certified and as such is the only supplier of conversion solutions to ensure operational safety according to international automotive industry standards such as ISO 26262 for functional safety. A network of international partners guarantees service and availability across Europe.
pepper motion GmbH with headquarters in Denkendorf and offices in Garching near Munich and Paderborn employs more than 100 people. The subsidiary pepper motion Austria GmbH, based in Vienna, is the pepper Group’s software development center. pepper is represented with further sales partners in Italy, France, and Poland.
Press contact:
360°communications GmbH
Email: peppermotion@360communications.de
Phone: +49 89 5436994 00
