DAF is expanding its production facilities with a new Electric Truck Assembly factory in Eindhoven, where the production of the New Generation DAF XD and XF Electric will commence in the second quarter of the year.
The new Electric Truck Assembly is situated at the DAF Trucks premises in Eindhoven. Construction of this factory for electric trucks was completed in eighteen months.
DAF expects production to rise to several thousand vehicles per annum over the next few years, in line with the increasing demand for fully electric trucks.
The DAF XD and XF Electric were launched at the IAA fair in Hanover in September 2022 The fully electric PACCAR drivelines deliver outputs of between 170 and 350 kW (210 to 480 hp). DAF also offers a choice of battery packs using a modular approach. The smallest pack contains two ‘strings’ which together have a capacity of 210 kWh and offers a range of up to 200 kilometres. The largest has 5 ‘strings’ with a capacity of 525 kWh and can achieve a range of over 500 kilometres. The electric trucks are equipped for rapid charging and the largest battery pack can be charged from 0% to 80% in just over 45 minutes.
The basis for each new generation electric DAF truck is a so-called glider, a chassis without a driveline but with a cab. The glider is manufactured on DAF’s main truck production line. The 4×2 and 6×2 rigids and 4×2 tractors are then completed to XD and XF Electric trucks in an eight-step process on the Electric Truck Assembly production line.
The new factory has two assembly lines. The battery packs are assembled on the sub-assembly line while all high-voltage components, including batteries and driveline, are mounted on the chassis on the main assembly line. Thorough checks are then carried out at the final stations to ensure that the truck is in perfect working order.
The XD and XF Electric will be tailor-made to match the wishes of each individual customer. This is why the electric PACCAR drivelines are modular. In addition to the availability of two PACCAR EX motors, the battery packs can also be mounted in different positions on the chassis, depending on the customer’s requirements. This guarantees maximum flexibility for bodybuilders.
