GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #24 | Page 53

THE FRONT BOOT sometimes just embarrassing once stuck,” Huett said. “You typically have to apply significant speed to negotiate this type of terrain and in most respects that is due to the trailer acting as a ‘dead-weight’ on your tow vehicle. “OzX uses bespoke settings like Sand and Mud Assist, driving the wheels in a combination of torque and speed control to actively drive the trailer through mud and help the trailer plane-up on sand, not dig in. “When enabled, Hill Assist will allow you to rock- crawl over extreme terrain typically experienced exiting a river crossing or traversing a rocky incline. Think of the trailer having either two or 4WD capabilities with traction control and electronic differential-lock. In combination with your 4WD vehicle, you have an unstoppable platform empowering the most adventurous of adventurers." SAFETY The hybrid drive system has the added advantages of real-time stability control, torque vectoring, ABS and brake-blending, Huett said. “Systems that would normally be of significant cost, complexity and fragmented architecture are now harmonised and embedded in the DNA of hybrid drive,” he said. Essentially, the system can replace the need for traditional electric brakes and sway control features. “Features such as torque vectoring would add a new level of controllability by braking one wheel but driving the other so that both the vehicle and the caravan have a responsibility to vector safely in a new direction,” Huett said. “In some countries, break-away systems are compulsory and avert an uncontrolled trailer from spearing into oncoming traffic at speed. OzX’s hybrid system immediately recognises a breakaway situation and applies braking, indicating and undertaking a controlled deceleration process.” ENERGY MANAGEMENT According to Andrew Huett, the hybrid-drive system is “affordable, practical, and transposes to your domestic requirements once you reach your destination”. An added benefit of the onboard 16kW/h battery is the ability for the van to become entirely gas- less. All power functions that were otherwise powered by gas can be powered instead by battery. “It is both impractical commercially and weight- wise to make the trailer fully electric-driven; that is, fitted with greater than 80kW/h of battery. However, most of the benefits of an electric-drive system can be realised by making a hybrid-drive system that utilises a smarter energy management system,” Huett said. “To that end, our customers can plan their trip and our systems maximise their return-on-investment by saving maximum fuel, maximising the driving experience or a blend of several attributes, including re-charging from an EV charge point. Further, prior to arrival to destination, you will be fully recharged to ensure your camping experience is supported with a 5kW inverter married to a 16kW/h battery pack." He said that when set-up at a destination, it was possible to recover 1500 to 2200kW of solar energy. OzX Corp has jointly coordinated a caravan rooftop design that would support the necessary amount of solar panels. “Running your air-conditioner, cooking on an induction cooktop, and even make use of the power to run a mobile coffee business, is all now possible on this gas-less hybrid drive platform,” / 53