Regis chooses SmartX solution to overcome tipper challenge

Italian electric car manufacturer, Regis Motors, wanted to develop an innovative system for its commercial electric quadricycle, the EpicO, which differed from conventional electro-hydraulic actuation systems usually used on similar vehicles.

“One of the main challenges we faced was to create a highly efficient vehicle that would extend battery life between each recharging interval,” explained Fabrizio Regis, CTO of Regis Motors. “To help support this, we needed to find a solution to equip our quadricycles with a fully electrical automatic tipper. Existing quadricycles on the market were equipped with electro-hydraulic actuation systems that require additional maintenance, while suffering from reduced flexibility and efficiency.”

Any solution had to meet the company’s requirements for ease of installation, reduction in weight and costs, improved efficiency and minimal maintenance.

Regis Motors chose Ewellix’s the latest CAHB-2XS actuator from its new SmartX platform, offering master and slave configurations with synchronisation features and a load capacity of 13000 N with a maximum speed of 40 mm/s. The compact actuator was ideal for the limited space for integration.

Being fully electric and controlled by wireless remote control, unlike classic cable systems, the actuators don’t restrict the operator and enable increased vehicle usage. The system can also be managed using a dedicated CANbus line connected to Regis’ VMU (vehicle management unit) to manage and monitor currents during operation and check for faults.

In terms of weight saving and efficiency, the Ewellix system has enabled 10% more vehicle battery usable time before recharging and an overall 60 kg weight saving.

“All our vehicles leave the production line ready for retrofitting the electric tipping system. Therefore, the ease and speed of installing the accessory kit must be within everyone’s capability,” said Fabrizio. “The cost of this system compared to the usual electro-hydraulic ones is so competitive that since we put them into production, our customers have been asking us for more vehicles with this type of tipping system rather than the fixed body.”