The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled the first-ever series hydraulichybrid diesel urban delivery vehicle, which will provide dramatic improvements in fuel economy and
in emission reductions. The development of the hydraulic hybrid is the result of a partnershipbetween the EPA, U.S. Army, UPS, International Truck and Engine Corporation and EatonCorporation.The EPA and UPS plan to evaluate the vehicle’s fuel economy performance and emissions during aseries of tests in 2006. In laboratory testing, the EPA’s patented hydraulic hybrid dieseltechnology achieved a 60 to 70% improvement in fuel economy and more than a 40% reduction in carbondioxide emissions, compared to a conventional UPS vehicle.
“The hydraulic hybrid technology is quite promising and we’re eager to see how the vehicleperforms in a real-world setting,” said John Beystehner, chief operating officer of UPS. “We haveled our industry in testing alternative fuel vehicles because fuel conservation is critical to ourbusiness. We believe the impact of this initiative will go far beyond our industry,” he added.
UPS will test the hydraulic hybrid for the next several months. It will be used on a city routein the Detroit area, making daily deliveries to homes and businesses. Previously, UPS partneredwith the EPA on its hydrogen fuel cell delivery vehicles, which have been part of the company’sfleet since 2003.
“EPA and our partners are not just delivering packages with this UPS truck – we are deliveringenvironmental benefits to the American people,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.“President Bush is moving technology breakthroughs from the labs to the streets. We are doing whatis good for our environment, good for our economy, and good for our nation’s energy security.”
The EPA cited laboratory tests showing that the technology has the potential to dramaticallyimprove the fuel economy of urban vehicles used in applications such as package delivery, shuttleand transit buses and refuse pick-up. The EPA estimated that when manufactured in high volume, theadded costs of the hybrid components could be recouped in less than three years through lower fueland brake maintenance costs.
In the series hydraulic hybrid diesel, a high-efficiency diesel engine is combined with a uniquehydraulic propulsion system, replacing the conventional drivetrain and transmission. The vehicleuses hydraulic pumps and hydraulic storage tanks to store energy, similar to what is done withelectric motors and batteries in hybrid electric vehicles. Fuel economy is increased in three ways:vehicle braking energy is recovered that normally is wasted; the engine is operated moreefficiently; and the engine can be shut off when stopped or decelerating.
The diesel hydraulic hybrid truck is potentially eligible to qualify for a tax credit that is upto 40 % of the incremental cost of the vehicle under a provision of the Energy Policy Act of 2005for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. UPS, International and Eaton have been working with the EPAand the U.S. Army’s National Automotive Center on the hydraulic technology for several years.
