Electric sweepers improve the quality of life in cities

The electrification of municipal vehicles, especially sweepers, brings numerous benefits for the environment, people and the economy. Electric sweepers do not produce any CO2 and therefore do not emit any pollutants such as nitrogen oxides or particulate matter. As they are also significantly quieter, they can also be used in sensitive areas such as pedestrian zones or residential areas – even at night or in the early morning.

With the Schmidt eCleango 550, the Aebi Schmidt Group is launching a fully electric, compact and robust sweeper for daily cleaning work in inner-city areas. The redesigned cab is state of the art and offers a spacious, clearly laid out and comfortable workplace.

The all-round visibility for drivers reaches almost 250 degrees. The cab features high-quality noise and vibration insulation, while the thermal management system ensures a pleasant working environment. The logically arranged operating concept enables intuitive operation. All control and operating elements, including a joystick for the front and side brushes, are easily accessible and can be operated with one hand. Different profiles for the riders save individual settings and enable smooth changes.

The Schmidt eCleango 550 is 100 percent electric. The heart of the drive system is the high-voltage battery with a battery capacity of 102 kWh and optionally 153 kWh. The modular high-voltage battery concept is made up of four or six independent battery packs. The individual battery packs are connected in parallel via the central Power Distribution Unit (PDU). Depending on the application, the powerful energy storage units enable operating times of up to 10 hours without recharging.

The drives of all main consumers – traction drive, blower drive, hydraulic pump drive and air conditioning of the driver’s cab – were electrified. Compared to a drive with a combustion engine, the electric drive is more efficient, has optimum performance characteristics and high performance with low maintenance requirements.

An electric rear axle was developed for the traction drive. The maximum torque of 350 Nm is transmitted to the rear wheels via a single-stage gearbox. The 140 kW maximum output of the electric motor enables travel speeds of up to 50 km/h and a climbing ability of up to 30%. The noise level is very pleasant for both the driver and the surroundings. An electric parking brake system with hill start assist guarantees a safe and comfortable start on an incline.

The Schmidt eCleango 550 is available as a two- or three-unit system. This enables an area performance of up to 66,000 m2/h, sweeping on two levels and efficient sweeping in areas with a lot of street furniture and correspondingly small working areas.

The fresh water system holds approx. 750 liters. A powerful water pump supplies two spray nozzles on each of the disc brushes and several nozzles in the suction shaft. The new eCleango 550 has a container volume of 5.5 m³, which is more than its predecessor. With the increased system volume, Aebi Schmidt is setting new standards in terms of performance and range. The eCleango 550 guarantees maximum collection of sweepings and an increased operating radius. Only clean, low-dust air is released into the environment.

The silent pumps, which supply the electric multi-circuit hydraulics, work particularly efficiently and quietly. The standard on-board charger (OBC) with a charging capacity of 22 kW/AC enables the sweeper to be fully charged overnight. The integrated fast-charging interface (CCS) ensures a complete charging cycle in around one hour (80% SOC). This means that even unplanned operations can be handled without any problems.

Thanks to the innovative thermal management system and intelligent cooling and heat management, the longevity of the battery packs is further increased.

We are pleased that we were able to support the development of the Schmidt eCleango 550 in several areas. Durot Electric’s services essentially related to the five areas of concept study, development of the high-voltage system, software development of the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU), development of functional safety and vehicle validation as well as process optimization.

The Aebi Schmidt Group is a leading global provider of intelligent solutions for clean and safe traffic areas and the management of challenging terrain. The Group comprises the brands Aebi, Schmidt, Nido, Arctic, MB, Monroe, Towmaster, Meyer, Swenson and ELP. The Aebi Schmidt Group is headquartered in Switzerland and has production sites in Europe and North America.

Aebi Schmidt offers a broad portfolio of vehicles and equipment for snow clearing, street cleaning, airport cleaning, green space maintenance and transportation. The best-known products include the Schmidt eSwingo 200+ electric sweeper, the Aebi TP/VT 470 Vario Transporter, the Schmidt TJS airport sweeper and the Arctic HPD snow plow.