AFV Truck/Commercial Vehicle topic

[GRA]

Via GCC: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/08 ... range.html

. . . Orange EV’s initial T-Series, a complete re-manufacture of existing trucks, has been operating up to 24+ hours per charge at sites from single shift to 24x7 in: railroad inter-modal, LTL freight, manufacturing, retail distribution, waste management and warehouse container handling. . . .

[LeftieBiker]

What is the purpose of that 50lb-looking vertical post on the left front? Some yard-specific thing? They certainly don't need that much steel to hold the mirror...

[GRA]

What is the purpose of that 50lb-looking vertical post on the left front? Some yard-specific thing? They certainly don't need that much steel to hold the mirror...

It serves as a driver handhold while working on the right-side platform and/or keeps open trailer doors from swinging into the cab, and provides some protection for the hostler from freight falling out, as well as providing a robust mount for the mirror. Normally the hostler just sits in the cab and reaches back through the open rear window to disconnect the gladhands, or steps out onto the rear platform to connect them (or disconnect them if they're sticky).

[GRA]

Via GCC:

Kenworth receives $8.6M in grants for low-emission T680 Day Cab drayage truck projects in California; hybrids, CNG hybrid and fuel cell

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/08 ... worth.html

. . . The first two projects are funded at $1.9 million each by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), with Southern California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) as the prime applicant. Kenworth will build two, proof-of-concept T680 Day Cab drayage tractors to transport freight from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to warehouses and railyards along the I-710 corridor in the Los Angeles basin.

The first T680 Day Cab will be a hybrid electric drayage truck producing near-zero-emissions utilizing currently available compressed natural gas (CNG) engine to generate electrical power.

The second T680 Day Cab will feature a hydrogen fuel cell offering true zero-emissions operation. These trucks are expected to be identical, except for their power generation systems. Both trucks will have an all-electric range of 30 miles (48 km), as well as on-board CNG and hydrogen capacity, respectively, of 100 diesel gallons equivalent (dge).

The third project is funded at $4.8 million by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), again with the SCAQMD as the prime applicant. Kenworth will build four hybrid-electric T680 Day Cabs and support the customer field test of the units in Southern California drayage operations. . . .

[LeftieBiker]

What is the purpose of that 50lb-looking vertical post on the left front? Some yard-specific thing? They certainly don't need that much steel to hold the mirror...

It serves as a driver handhold while working on the right-side platform and/or keeps open trailer doors from swinging into the cab, and provides some protection for the hostler from freight falling out, as well as providing a robust mount for the mirror. Normally the hostler just sits in the cab and reaches back through the open rear window to disconnect the gladhands, or steps out onto the rear platform to connect them (or disconnect them if they're sticky).

Thanks. I was pretty sure it wasn't just Mirror Mount Overkill...

[GRA]

Via GCC:

Orange EV approved for California incentives of up to $120,000 per Class 8 electric truck

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/08 ... ngeev.html

Orange EV announced that businesses and organizations with fleets in California can receive a preliminary voucher of $95,000, increasable up to $120,000, toward the purchase of a new T-Series battery-electric Class 8 terminal truck with extended duty battery pack.. . . .

Vouchers can be approved within days, Orange EV said. Participating fleets commit to operating trucks in California for a minimum of three years, after which they may redeploy vehicles as needed. HVIP funds are paid directly to Orange EV thus directly reducing the capital fleets need to purchase T-Series trucks. . . .

[GRA]

Via IEVS:

Nikola One Truck Turns To Hydrogen Power For Zero Emission Driving In US

http://insideevs.com/nikola-one-truck-t ... n-driving/

. . . The most important recent development is that the CNG range-extender on top of the 320 kWh battery, will now be swapped out in North America for a 800 V hydrogen fuel cell unit. The original CNG unit is now an choice for other markets with not-so-strong hydrogen infrastructures. Perhaps the CNG version will also be a US/Canadian option still if requested.

Nikola Motors also states that some of the hydrogen infrastructure will be also build by the company, of which they would like to install a nationwide network of over 50 stations by 2020.

Hydrogen at these future station will be produced from electrolysis of water using solar electricity (the plan is to have more than 100 MW capacity at each station).

The Nikola One published specs state that the total range for the truck will be over 1,200 miles (1,900+ km), and that its truck will therefore never need to plug-in, although one still could in a pinch. . . .

Well see how much if any of this actually occurs. For an EV startup planning to also build the necessary infrastructure, they picked a good name

[GRA]

Via GCC:

Ballard MOU with strategic partner Broad-Ocean targets fuel cell modules for buses and commercial vehicles

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... llard.html

In July, Broad-Ocean announced a $28.3-million strategic equity investment in Ballard, through which Broad-Ocean acquired a 9.9% ownership position in Ballard, making it the company’s largest shareholder. (Earlier post.)

Key regions contemplated in the MOU include Wuhan (the capital of Hubei Province), Chongqing (or Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province), Shandong Province, and Beijing (the Chinese national capital city). . . .

[GRA]

Via GCC:

Ballard providing ten 30 kW fuel cell modules to UpPowerTech; expanding into China’s Guangxi Province

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... llard.html

Ballard Power Systems has signed a purchase order from Shenzhen UpPower Technology Co., Ltd. (UpPowerTech), a leading fuel cell bus systems integrator in China, for the supply of 10 FCveloCity-MD 30 kW fuel cell power modules to be integrated by UpPowerTech into clean energy buses manufactured by Gaungxi Yuanzheng New Energy Co. Ltd. (Yuanzheng), a Chinese bus manufacturer, for deployment in the City of Nanning in the Province of Guangxi. . . .

Designed for scalability, the FCveloCity module is available in various configurations between 30-200kW. Focused on the heavy-duty transportation market, the primary 85 kW net FCveloCity was released in June 2015 and is currently powering buses in multiple customer trials around the world. . . .

Standard 5 year, 250,000 mile warranty (for transit applications. . . .

Ballard designed the 30kW FCveloCity-MD module for use in battery-dominant hybrid, heavy-duty motive applications. The hydrogen-fueled power module is sized for smaller transit vehicles, and offers a low risk, versatile and easy installation solution for system integrators, with a design based on many years of transit experience. . . .

The 10 FCveloCity-MD 30 kW fuel cell power modules are expected to be delivered in 2016, and the fuel cell buses are expected to be deployed in 2017.

[GRA]

Both via GCC:

Commissioning of initial 12 Ballard-powered buses in China’s largest fuel cell bus deployment

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... llard.html

Ballard Power Systems announced the commissioning and deployment of an initial 12 fuel cell-powered buses in the District of Sanshui, in the City of Foshan, in the Province of Guangdong, China. The buses will be operated by Foshan Sanshui Guohong Public Transit Co. Ltd., on demonstration route #682 from Gaofeng Park Station to Shuidu Industrial Park Station.

The buses are 11 meters in length and feature advanced safety systems, 80-person capacity, anticipated driving range in excess of 300 kilometers (186 miles), expected hydrogen gas consumption of less than 6.5 kilograms per 100 kilometers, zero tailpipe emissions and remote monitoring. Unlike many battery electric bus routes, the transit route in Foshan will not require any catenary wires or on-route recharging.

• In September 2015 we announced the planned deployment of 300 fuel cell-powered buses in Foshan/Yunfu. Our program consortium has made considerable progress over the past year, including localization of Ballard-designed fuel cell engines, establishment of a fuel cell bus manufacturing facility, local procurement activities, development of systems integration capabilities, national permitting of a fuel cell bus platform, preparations for hydrogen refueling infrastructure and development of our China service team.
  
  Now the first installment of zero-emission fuel cell buses is hitting the roads in Foshan, with the commissioning of an initial 12 buses in passenger service. This marks the largest deployment of fuel cell buses in China’s history. The Foshan and Yunfu governments are demonstrating strong vision and leadership by solving a growing need for mass urban transit while responsibly addressing local air quality and stimulating local economic development.
  
  —Randy MacEwen, Ballard’s President & CEO. . . .

UPS places 50 advanced hydraulic hybrids in its fleet in time for holiday rush

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/09 ... 0-ups.html

United Parcel Service, Inc., the world’s largest package delivery company and a provider of supply chain management solutions, placed 50 Lightning Hybrids hydraulic hybrid delivery trucks in the Chicago metro area. . . .

The hybrid systems provide additional torque and reduce engine stress on the vehicles, allowing UPS to use less expensive gasoline engines rather than diesel engines, substantially reducing NOx emissions in the process. UPS anticipates an ROI of one to two years on these vehicles.

UPS first trialed the Lightning Hybrids product with a six-month pilot in 2014 that demonstrated 100% hybrid system uptime and impressed the UPS team with excellent efficiency gains, elegance, and drivability, leading to additional trials, including a trial in the UK, that is currently underway. Fuel efficiency gains ranged from 18 to 34 percent during the pilot.

The system from Lightning Hybrids is a patented, parallel hydraulic hybrid system that has no electric batteries. Instead, it applies a hydraulic system to the vehicle driveline to regenerate braking energy. Hydraulic pumps and a lightweight accumulator brake the vehicle, store the braking energy, and then use that stored energy to provide power to the wheels. In doing so fuel is saved and harmful emissions are cut. . . .