The Schaeffler Group and ABT e-Line have kicked off a new collaboration aimed at electrifying light commercial vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons. The two companies will build on the existing relationship which has seen them enjoyed a winning partnership in Formula E, with two championships, 12 wins and 41 podiums since the electric racing series began in 2014.

ABT e-Line is a subsidiary of ABT Holdings, which is a partner to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. As such, ABT e-Line has been tasked with electrifying vehicles, such as the T6 and Caddy, and it has been agreed that Schaeffler will develop the electric powertrain.

The long-term objective is to develop more-advanced electric powertrains and integrate them into vehicles, focusing on both LCVs and special vehicles. The partnership also aims to develop flexible mechatronic chassis solutions.

One of the driving forces behind the move is the fact that LCV’s are often the target of strict emission controls in cities and towns. Also vehicle manufacturers are now obliged to fulfil their mandatory upper limits for emissions in the LCV sectors separately, as it is not possible to offset emission values against passenger car fleets.

Schaeffler AG CEO, Klaus Rosenfeld, said, “Following on from our trusting and successful partnership with the ABT Group in Formula E, we have decided to work together in tackling the challenges of CV electrification. The combination of ABT’s entrepreneurial approach and Schaeffler’s understanding of systems and in-depth expertise in-field of powertrain and chassis applications put us in a perfect position to create something new and to move forward even faster.”

ABT Sportsline GmbH CEO, Hans-Jürgen Abt, commented, “The relationship with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is an ambitious project for ABT and I am proud of the fact that we will soon be seeing the first electrified ABT vehicles on the road. Having Schaeffler as a strategic partner and thus, having its technological expertise on-board means we have a strong partnership to tackle the challenges of electrification.”