Liebherr announced the first fully electric truck mixers ETM 1005 and ETM 1205 with respectively 10 and 12 m³ drums on a 5-axle chassis.

These new vehicles were developed in partnership with Designwerk, using as a base the Futuricum chassis and drum drive developed by Liebherr and ZF.

We already saw some approaches to electrify the truck mixers through a plug-in hybrid drive and electric drum drive - both in China and in Europe by Liebherr (see here), but this time it's 100% electric, which makes perfect sense.

Truck mixers usually drive a short distance and always return to the same concrete plant where they can be fast-charged. By having an electric drive and electric drum drive (both powered jointly by the traction battery) savings on fuel might be huge. Additionally, the truck becomes zero-emission, quiet, simple to use and should be more reliable/cheaper to maintain.

"Concrete production in the concrete plants is clean and environmentally friendly, as the mixing plants operate electrically. This is not yet the case when transporting the concrete to the construction site: Up to now, powerful diesel engines have been the norm for such applications - combined with emissions in terms of exhaust gases and noise. The new ETM 1005 and 1205 truck mixers on a chassis from Futuricum will change that: They transport large quantities of concrete to the construction site quietly and reliably without exhaust emissions. Since distances from the concrete plant to the construction site are relatively short compared to freight traffic, this all-electric solution is particularly well suited for this application. Moreover, the vehicles return to the concrete plant again and again, where there is a charging infrastructure for the batteries. Thanks to large accumulator capacities, charging the batteries is normally only necessary overnight. The Futuricum chassis is extremely powerful, with the equivalent of 680 HP, and can easily cope with the weight of the concrete. Energy recovery during braking or downhill driving further increases the range of the truck and reduces operating and maintenance costs. The drum drive developed by Liebherr and ZF consists of a low-maintenance and efficient unit of electric motor and mixer gearbox. For the first time, both the truck and the truck mixer body are powered jointly by the traction battery, eliminating the need for costly power electronics components. The new Liebherr Generation 05 electrified body offers further advantages: The compact electric drive for the mixing drum is flanged directly to the drum and its high efficiency ensures that power consumption for relieving the traction battery of the Futuricum truck remains low. It also eliminates the need for any hydraulic equipment - no hose connections, no pump, and therefore no risk of leakage. Liebherr's truck mixer body boasts a low net weight combined with the best possible transport volume, a long service life thanks to its special wear-resistant steel and the ergonomic design of the operation system and access points. A platform system on both sides allows flexible positioning and attachment of accessories or attachments to suit customer requirements."

According to Liebherr, ETM all-electric truck mixer has a range of 190-380 km (118-236 miles) - depending on various factors we guess. The info visible on the truck indicates a 340 kWh battery pack (modules supplied by BMW) and 500 kW of electric motor power.

Liebherr ETM all-electric truck mixer specs:

range of 190-380 km (118-236 miles)

340 kWh battery (BMW i)

500 kW electric motor

gross vehicle weight of 40 tonnes

5 axles

The first unit will enter regular service in Switzerland from autumn 2020: