Double Award: German Innovation Award celebrates super-efficient transport technologies from BPW

• German Innovation Award in Gold: Top award for the BPW eTransport drive axle
• German Innovation Award Winner for the BPW AirSave tyre pressure control system
• The German Design Council puts a user-centred experience at the heart of the decision
• Dr. Markus Kliffken: "Freight forwarders, drivers and logistics professionals are all actively working together on innovation"

Wiehl, 20.05.2021 --- Innovative commercial vehicle technologies improve not only environmental efficiency, but also the image of the transport and logistics industry. BPW Bergische Achsen KG has now received two renowned German Innovation Awards - one of which with the highest grade possible from the jury. The deciding factor: focus on the user.

The Design Council has given the German Innovation Award in Gold to BPW – thereby drawing the public's attention to the innovative strengths of the transport industry: BPW eTransport, an electrical drive for light commercial vehicles up to 7.5 tons, received an award. For each category, the jury usually only chooses one Gold prize winner for pioneering top performances within a sector or discipline. BPW's performance in the competition class "Excellence in Business to Business" in the field of E-Mobility technologies was particularly impressive. The drive solution was developed for distribution vehicles in inner-city transportation. Unlike conventional concepts, the drive sits right in the axle rather than under the engine bonnet. This means it can be adjusted according to individual requirements or even retrofitted. Thanks to its scalable design, even larger vehicle classes over 7.5 tons can be equipped with eTransport. The driving unit is economical and sustainable, of high-grade efficiency, quiet and emission-free, and also easy to integrate thanks to its compact design. Moreover, the driving unit is made even better by its energy recovery and active steering assistance. The first new vehicles with eTransport from BPW should be coming onto the market as early as this year.

"A growing number of cities are implementing driving bans, special requirements, and restrictions on diesel-powered vehicles. With BPW eTransport, transport vehicles – each over 7.5 tons – can be economically fitted or retrofitted. This is an interesting concept which has the potential to more quickly bring us to a more sustainable, emission-free, mobile future," was the statement made by the jury.

The Design Council gave another award to the BPW AirSave tyre pressure control system. Each year, it saves – depending on mileage – up to a thousand euros worth of fuel and tyre wear, thus improving the ecological balance of road transportation and avoiding accidents or unplanned downtimes caused by burst tyres. AirSave is also complemented by the connection to vehicle telematics. Drivers, dispatchers and other recipients automatically receive a warning via an app, online portal, email or SMS as soon as a tyre weakens. The Design Council declared BPW AirSave a "Winner": this title is reserved for "innovations which drive the industry forward with their originality, application and efficacy."

Dr. Markus Kliffken, member of the Technical Development Executive Board at BPW: "To receive two German Innovation Awards at the same time is not only a win for our company, but also for the entire transport and commercial vehicle industry. It means we can get a wider audience interested in the transformation of transport. We are particularly pleased that the focus on the user plays a central role in the jury's review. That's why we are dedicating the award to the freight forwarders, lorry drivers, and other professionals in the practice who have been actively involved in the development of eTransport and AirSave."