The German Innovation Awards honour innovative achievements that are breaking new ground and offer solutions due to their added value. These may be products as well as services and they may come from very different industries, but the focus is always on the user experience: projects that improve our lives and contribute to a better future. The »Winner« prize is awarded to innovations that advance the industry through their originality, implementation and effectiveness.
The innovative approach of the eCleango 550 convinced the expert jury in several aspects: „With the fully electric compact street sweeper Schmidt eCleango 550, noise and CO2 emissions are a thing of the past. The powerful and durable electric drive, with its modular high-voltage battery, operates not only whisper-quiet but also sustainably, matching diesel vehicles in terms of performance and sweeping efficiency. The ergonomically designed cockpit, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, offers maximum seating and operating comfort, while the quiet drive also benefits the staff. A meticulously thought-out concept that perfectly reflects the demands of modernity, sustainability, and performance in its progressive appearance.”
The sustainable future of street cleaning
The all-electric Schmidt eCleango 550 sets new standards. The centrepiece of the drive is the modular high-voltage battery, which enables CO2 emission-free operating times of up to 10 hours without intermediate charging. The modular high-voltage battery concept can be customised to meet individual customer requirements and can consist of either four or six independent battery packs with up to 153 kWh. The intelligent Multimaster battery control system enables independent organisation and monitoring of the individual battery cells, resulting in optimum use of all resources. With the improved cooling system, thermal management permanently ensures an optimum battery temperature, which increases the service life of the battery and leads to more environmentally friendly use. Short charging cycles with optimum battery protection are made possible by the integrated quick-charging interface. The electric drive developed in-house guarantees quiet working and travelling. This not only reduces pollutant emissions but also noise emissions for the driver and the environment. The eCleango 550 is therefore particularly suitable for night-time operations.
Great emphasis was placed on the comfort of the cab during the redesign. The ergonomic workplace offers an air-suspended driver's seat in a very spacious cab. The convex rear windows with an almost 250° all-round view provide the best overview of all work areas. The new operating concept is intuitive and state-of-the-art. All control and operating elements can be accessed with one hand and individual settings can be saved. The specially developed 24 V braking and steering hydraulics provide additional safety.
The eCleango 550 also features innovative new sweeping technology. Thanks to the pulled disc brush system, collision damage can be significantly minimised and brush wear considerably reduced. The tried-and-tested pressurised recirculating water system feeds large quantities of recirculated water back into the circuit for reuse by means of a waste water pump. This saves fresh water and also enables maximum utilisation of the tank capacity. The combination of pressurised recirculating water system and the unique Koanda recirculating air system reduces emissions of harmful particulate matter by up to 70%.
Winning the German Innovation Award 2024 confirms that the eCleango 550 was developed using the right technologies. At the same time, it is a further motivation to continue working on innovative solutions.