iPad-sized electric PTO delivers 70 kW, cutting truck diesel emissions

Windrose Technology has developed an electric power take-off (EPTO) that can deliver up to 70 kW of power from an electric semi-truck without using a diesel engine. The compact system is designed to power equipment such as the ramps and racks used by vehicle transport trailers, addressing a problem that can arise when electric trucks replace conventional diesel powertrains. Why electric trucks need a different kind of PTO A power take-off, or PTO, allows a truck to provide power to external equipment. Conventional diesel trucks typically draw that power mechanically from the engine or transmission, allowing equipment such as hydraulic pumps, cranes, plows, and other accessories to operate while the truck is running. An electric truck does not have a combustion engine to provide that mechanical power. Instead, an electric system has to draw energy from the vehicle’s battery and convert it into usable power for auxiliary equipment. Windrose says its EPTO is roughly the size of an iPad and is directly integrated into the company’s proprietary electric axle. The system operates from the truck’s 800-volt high-voltage platform and can provide up to 70 kW of power. The company’s CEO, Wen Han, says that they developed the system after failing to find an available EPTO solution suitable for powering the ramps and racks required to transport other vehicles. According to Electrek, the technology could give electric vehicle transport fleets a way to operate specialized trailers without relying on a separate diesel power source. A compact solution for electric truck equipment The challenge becomes particularly relevant for battery-electric trucks because the commercial trucking industry already has a huge ecosystem of equipment designed around conventional PTO systems. Dump bodies, hydraulic pumps, cranes, cherry pickers, snow plows, and other equipment often depend on power supplied directly by a truck’s drivetrain. Electrifying the truck therefore requires a way to provide equivalent auxiliary power without simply adding another combustion engine. Windrose has taken a different approach by integrating the EPTO into its e-axle rather than treating it as a large standalone system. The company has not disclosed details such as the EPTO’s continuous power rating, weight, efficiency, operating duration, or how much battery energy the system consumes under different loads. The 70-kW figure represents its stated maximum output. The approach has attracted attention from the trucking industry. Ken North, an emerging technologies consultant for the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE), described an EPTO as potentially turning an electric highway truck into a more versatile platform for different applications. For vehicle transporters, the immediate benefit is straightforward: the same electric truck moving the cargo can also supply the power needed to operate its specialized trailer equipment. Giving electric semis more jobs to do Windrose’s development points to a more general issue in commercial vehicle electrification. Replacing a diesel engine means replacing not only propulsion but also many of the secondary functions that have traditionally depended on that engine. An effective electric PTO can help bridge that gap by allowing the truck’s battery and high-voltage electrical architecture to power equipment that would otherwise require mechanical or diesel power. With a claimed 70 kW output in a package roughly the size of an iPad, Windrose is positioning its EPTO as a compact way to add that capability to its electric trucks. If systems like this can become sufficiently efficient, reliable, and compatible with existing commercial equipment, they could make battery-electric trucks useful for a wider range of jobs beyond simply moving freight.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories. His writing covers technology, sustainability, geopolitics, and occasionally fiction. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, his work has appeared in the Times of India and beyond. After a near-fatal experience, Kaif began seeing both stories and silences differently. Outside work, he juggles far too many projects and passions, but always makes time to read, reflect, and hold onto the thread of wonder.