January 2009, Work Truck - Feature
Hybrid Large Trucks: the Road to Viability
By Chad Simon
JORDAN SMITH
Lead Engineer for Electric Transportation
Southern California Edison
Fleet Size: 6,000
Hybrid Trucks in Service: 1
Southern California Edison’s (SCE) program is different than other participating HTUF fleets because Smith has combined field trials with lab testing. The program consists of tests to ensure the vehicle’s performance compares to manufacturer specifications. The company also conducts tests for fuel economy, acceleration and braking, and grades and mountain driving.
In conjunction with this project, the company developed a special test designed to simulate actual work operation involving both city and freeway driving and stationary work time where the boom is operated.
The Testing Process
While achieving uniform results from a controlled test in the field is difficult, lab tests ensure that each truck does exactly the same amount of work, Smith says.
After lab tests, Smith delivered the truck to the fleet and performed two fleet trials. One test was conducted at the company’s Santa Monica, Calif., location, which has moderate weather for shorter driving distances. The other was at its Redlands, Calif. service center, when summer temperatures require longer driving distances and severe operation. Smith was pleased with both results.
"In lab tests, I saw an almost 30- percent reduction in fuel economy," Smith says. "You can get more improvement in stop-and-go driving and less so with freeway driving. We try to place it in an operation with shorter drives and a lot of stationary boom time. If we were to drive this truck on the freeway all the time, it wouldn’t make much sense."
SCE is also working with the Electric Power Research Institute and other utilities to develop a plug-in hybrid utility truck. This involves a much larger battery pack with the ability to charge off the utility grid while also offering more electric drive capabilities and electric air conditioning.
SCE’s prototype vehicle is now being evaluated.
Smith says fleets will pay $20,000 to $30,000 more for a hybrid truck, so the present premium needs to drop to make hybrid trucks more commercially viable. WT
Hybrid Truck Timeline: Production, Tests,
and Partnership
PRODUCTION
■ International/Eaton Class 6/7 work trucks in low volume production since Dec. 2007.
■ Showcase plug-in utility truck demonstrator.
■ International offers purchase incentive program starting summer 2008.
■ Freightliner Custom Chassis Class 4/6 in low volume production.
■ Freightliner to produce 1,500 M2 hybrid trucks in next three years.
■ Kenworth and Peterbilt enter first production for Class 6/7 trucks late
summer 2008.
■ Peterbilt/Eaton hydraulic refuse truck production starts late 2008.
■ Azure plans Class 4/5 low volume production late 2008.
■ Azure/Altec add energy storage to trucksfor engine off boom operation.
TESTING/DEVELOPMENT
■ Daimler Trucks opens hybrid development center with Mitsubishi Fuso in Japan Aug. 2008.
■ Terex unveils prototype plug-in hybrid utility truck on International chassis.
■ Dueco-Odyne testing plug-in hybrid utility trucks.
■ CraneCarrier/ISE/Rexroth developing hybrid refuse trucks.
■ Peterbilt tests Class 8 hybrid with Eaton system.
■ Volvo Construction unveils hybrid wheel loader for 2009.
■ Mack plans first production of refuse hybrids by 2010/11.
PARTNERSHIPS
■ Arvin Meritor signs Wal-Mart agreement for Class 8 hybrids.
■ FedEx partners with Azure to develop gas-electric hybrids.