Electric Towing Car: What is the conversion project about tow tractors

What is retrofit and what does it consist of? This is a way of modernizing a used vehicle, usually several years old and destined for final disposal. In Toyota’s project, the internal combustion engine was replaced by a 100% electric one with all the additional elements that are needed. In addition, the exhaust pipe and fuel tank were removed. In its place, the wiring was added, the electric motor was added and it was ensured that the chassis supports the extra weight that comes with the new mechanics. Toyota took on the challenge of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 across the entire lifecycle of its vehicles, from manufacturing to final disposal. The company has been taking very important steps in this regard. For example, in Argentina, the brand leads the electrified vehicle market with an 80% share thanks to the penetration of hybrids. On the production side, since 2020, the Zárate plant has been running on 100% renewable electricity. In this regard, and with a focus on reducing the environmental footprint, a group of the company’s engineers began a retrofit project on the fleet of tow tractors, which are used to transport parts and waste within the Zárate plant. “The project arose from the need to replace the tow tractors that we use to support production. Together with our engineering teams, we saw an opportunity: to recondition our vehicles and make them 100% electric. This is how we found a sustainable solution from both an economic and environmental point of view and entirely thought out and developed from Argentina,” said Daniel Valeggia, Plant Director of Toyota Argentina. The initiative seeks to achieve the electric conversion of all the tow tractors currently circulating in the company. In environmental terms, the advantages of the project are manifold: it promotes reuse and recycling and reduces noise pollution. In addition, as the energy used in the plant comes from 100% renewable sources, the batteries are recharged with “clean” energy, which significantly decreases the carbon footprint.

Original source in Spanish