A Battery Electric-Powered Ford Transit Connect Coming In 2010

The Ford Motor Company has set up a website featuring details on the Ford Transit connect.

Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company

According to Ford Motor Company, the Ford Transit Connect is built on a dedicated front-wheel drive commercial vehicle platform to meet and exceed the needs of small-business owners and entrepreneurs.

Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company

To prepare Transit Connect for United States duty, the powertrain was upgraded to include a proven Duratec 2.0-liter dual-overhead cam (DOHC) I-4 engine – giving 22 city, 25 highway miles per gallon – and a four-speed automatic overdrive transaxle. Several design details, including the grille and interior touches, have been updated to lend the vehicle a fresh, new look for its American debut.

Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company

“This workhorse is like nothing available today in the American market,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development. “We’re offering small-business owners a real choice to meet their needs, instead of asking them to pull seats out of minivans or compromise on one or more of their needs. Transit Connect is good news for small-business owners nationwide.”

Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company

As part of Ford’s aggressive new electric vehicle plan to bring pure battery-powered vehicles, hybrids and plug-in hybrids to market, a battery electric-powered Transit Connect will be offered later in 2010. The Transit Connect battery electric vehicle will be the initial offering in Ford’s recently announced electrification initiatives.

Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company

Ford is working with Smith Electric Vehicles, the European market’s leading battery electric upfitter of commercial vehicles, a part of the U.K.-based Tanfield Group of companies. Since 1920, Smith has converted tens of thousands of commercial vehicles to battery electric-power.

Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company

Many commercial users travel predictable, short-range routes, with lots of stop and go in urban and suburban environments. A range of up to 100 miles makes the battery electric-powered Transit Connect a useful hauler, with significantly reduced operation and maintenance costs. For companies aiming for sustainable mobility solutions, it can help them deliver the goods in an environmentally friendly way.

Source: Ford Motor Company

Leading California Hay Exporter Reduces Fuel Costs and Emissions with LNG-Powered Kenworth T800s

The Kenworth Truck Company homepage features a profile of Border Valley Trading and how the company recently replaced its fleet of trucks with 15 liquefied natural gas-powered Kenworth T800s.

The company plans to add five more LNG-powered T800s later this year once its proposed fueling station in the Coachella Valley, about 140 miles east of Los Angeles, near Palm Springs, receives approval by the local planning commission.

“The economics of operating new LNG-powered trucks versus our late-model diesel-powered units favored the LNG trucks,” said Border Valley Trading president Greg Braun. “We save money because the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach waive their $70 clean truck fee for our Kenworth T800 LNG trucks, and we also save 15 to 20 percent on the price of LNG fuel over that of diesel on any given day.” Converting the company’s fleet to clean-burning LNG also fulfills the company’s commitment to the environment through its green initiatives, added Braun.

The 15 Kenworth T800s are equipped with the Westport Innovations LNG fuel system and Westport GX engine, which is based on the industry-leading Cummins ISX 15-liter engine. The Kenworth trucks use 5 percent diesel and 95 percent liquefied natural gas to power the drivetrain. A typical Class 8 truck using the cleaner burning LNG fuel may reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) and greenhouse gas emissions by up to an estimated 33 percent and 20 percent, respectively, compared to a diesel-fueled truck.

Source: Kenworth

Detroit Diesel Delivers First BlueTec Customer Demo Units

The Daimler Trucks North America homepage reports the delivery of the first two Detroit Diesel BlueTec emissions technology customer demo units (CDU) to Schneider National, Inc., the nation's largest truckload carrier. The CDUs will be integrated into Schneider's fleet to gain valuable real-world experience with the technology in advance of EPA 2010 regulations.

Delivered in late January 2009, the Schneider CDUs are Freightliner Cascadia's(tm) equipped with Detroit Diesel DD15(tm) engines, and have already logged more than 45,000 miles.

Steve Duley, vice president of purchasing for Schneider National, noted that they keep close tabs on the units and provide Detroit Diesel feedback every day, including responses from drivers and technicians.

"By actually field testing the technology, we are putting the units into real-life situations, which ultimately helps Detroit Diesel engineers to identify every possible issue in advance," said Duley. "We are confident the experience we gain from CDUs will give us additional time to prepare for the transition."

Schneider's participation in the BlueTec field test is part of its ongoing commitment to running the most energy-efficient fleet in the industry.

BlueTec - Daimler's widely acclaimed emissions technology - was selected by Detroit Diesel in 2005 to meet the upcoming stringent EPA 2010 emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks. BlueTec represents the world's latest innovation for clean diesel engine technology.

Based on Daimler's experience with more than 200,000 trucks in Europe using BlueTec emissions technology and with more than 13 million miles of testing completed, this is one of the first systems of its kind to improve fuel efficiency while reducing emissions to near-zero levels.

Here is a video on BlueTec SCR Technology.



Source: Daimler Trucks North America

Kenworth Receives Prestigious EPA Clean Air Excellence Award

Kenworth Truck Company homepage reports that Kenworth was recently honored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a prestigious 2008 EPA Clean Air Excellence award during a special ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Kenworth submitted entries on its T270 Class 6 and T370 Class 7 diesel-electric hybrids, T800 liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks and Kenworth Clean Power no-idle system, and received the EPA award in the Clean Air Technology category in recognition of all three major environmental efforts. Kenworth became the first truck manufacturer to capture EPA Clean Air Excellence honors since the inception of the awards in 2000.

According to the official EPA homepage, Kenworth Truck Company is committed to providing a broad range of products for the commercial vehicle market that minimize environmental impact through reduced emissions, greenhouse gases, and fuel consumption. This effort is epitomized by three products released in
2008: Kenworth’s Clean Power System, Medium Duty Hybrid, and Natural Gas Powered Vehicle.

The Kenworth Clean Power System is a no-idle, battery-powered system that provides 10 hours of continuous operation during mandatory rest periods for truck drivers. The system is comprised of enhanced insulation, cooling storage capacity for air conditioning, auxiliary heat, high efficiency LED lighting, and 110 volt AC outlets. By eliminating idling during rest periods, the system reduces fuel use by one gallon per hour.

The Kenworth Medium Duty Hybrid Truck is powered by a parallel diesel-electric system. This system, developed in partnership with the Eaton Corporation, also utilizes braking energy to recharge its batteries in preparation for vehicle acceleration. Fuel consumption can be decreased up to 1,500 gallons per year and CO2 by 38 percent for specific applications. The utility configuration can run a hydraulic boom directly from the hybrid batteries, resulting in even greater savings.

The Kenworth Natural Gas Powered Vehicle was developed in partnership with Westport Innovations. This truck uses a small injection of diesel to ignite the high pressure natural gas, which gives the performance and longevity equivalent to a diesel engine, while using domestically available fuel. Fuel is stored as liquid natural gas (LNG) for increased energy density. The factory-built Kenworth T800 LNG truck reduces emissions for NOx by 27 percent, particulate matter by 40 percent, and CO2 by 24 percent.

Source: Kenworth and Environmental Protection Agency

Caterpillar to Sell Articulated Truck Bare Chassis for Specialty Applications

Caterpillar has announced they will offer a family of articulated truck bare chassis to support specialty machines not included in the portfolio of Cat products.

According to Caterpillar, sales of the bare chassis without the dump bed will be targeted toward Caterpillar Dealers and original equipment manufactures (OEMs) who specialize in such applications as water trucks, high capacity waste, lube & fuel trucks, etc. Cat Articulated Dump Trucks will continue to be sold through Caterpillar Dealers around the world.

Caterpillar OEM Solutions Group will assume commercial responsibility for articulated truck bare chassis sold as custom machine solutions. This includes standard and long rear frame length configurations. Working with Caterpillar Dealers, OEMs and end-users, OEM Solutions Group can assist with application and integration issues, helping determine the best solutions for mounting a variety of tools and attachments.

The bare chassis product shares very high commonality with Cat Articulated Dump Trucks. Therefore, available Caterpillar information can address many questions related to the bare chassis product.

Service support and financing are available through the worldwide network of Caterpillar Dealers. A variety of genuine Cat parts are also available to make customizing the bare chassis easier, such as hoist cylinders and pivot pins.

The articulated truck bare chassis product will be available for Cat Dealer and OEM orders during the second quarter 2009.

Source: Caterpillar

The New York Times Reports On Putting Trucks "On A Diet"

The New York Times reports the stationary and mobile technologies used to power trucks while idling.

The trucking industry is turning to energy sources ranging from electrified parking spaces to auxiliary power units power truck lights and air conditioning without using the engine.

The story explores benefits and drawbacks of the different services and technologies, and how truckers use them to save fuel and cut down on pollution.

Source: The New York Times

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Freightliner Trucks Develops Hybrid Hazmat Truck for Pennington Gas Service

The Freightliner Trucks homepage features a story on how Freightliner, together with Eaton Corp., developed a Freightliner Business Class M2e Hybrid truck equipped with an Eaton Hybrid Electric Drivetrain System.

According to the story, the truck was created for Pennington Gas Service andmarks the first application of the Eaton parallel electric hybrid system to a hazardous material delivery application.

Pennington Gas Service delivers propane primarily to residential customers in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. A longtime proponent of environmentally-friendly solutions, company partner Keith Pennington became interested in the Freightliner Business Class M2e Hybrid after test driving one at The Work Truck Show.

“I’d never seen a hybrid truck like this for the propane industry, and it was evident that Freightliner was leading the charge in pursuing this technology. So, I decided to find out more,” said Pennington. “Having been a Freightliner customer for almost 10 years, I knew they’d do everything possible to make my vision a reality.”

Pennington also noted the Business Class M2e Hybrid’s visibility, maneuverability and comfort were some of the key features that initially caught his attention.

“Pennington’s proposal for a hybrid hazmat delivery truck was certainly a challenge, but after tapping our engineers and partners such as Eaton Corp., and Signature Truck Systems, we knew that we could make it happen,” said David Bryant, vocational sales manager, Hybrids, for Freightliner Trucks.

The hybrid electric motor also provides additional power to launch the truck, further improving fuel economy in high stop-and-go operations. Pennington anticipates reducing fuel usage and emissions by up to 30 percent.

Source: Freightliner Trucks

Navistar Responds to Customers with Flexibility Through Innovative Custom Engineering Group

Navistar's homepage reports on the launch on its Custom Engineering group. According to Navistar, the custom engineering group will make modifications and add unique features to many of its heavy and severe service trucks.

Navistar’s Custom Engineering group takes a close look at an assortment of customer requests, with each project receiving a timely, thorough analysis. The cross-functional team develops a solid business case that examines the costs and resources required to meet the customer’s needs.

“Every change to our trucks comes at a cost,” explains Tom Smith, Navistar’s director of Custom Engineering. “However, by taking a strategic approach to meeting unique requests, closely analyzing potential modifications and providing the appropriate engineering assistance, we can deliver a higher level of support for our customers.”

Source and Photo Credit: Navistar

Kenworth Adds Aftermarket Crew Cab Conversion Option for Medium Duty Hybrids

Kenworth Truck Company homepage reports Kenworth now offers an added an aftermarket crew cab conversion option for the Kenworth T270 and T370 medium duty diesel-electric hybrids in pickup and delivery and utility applications.

The 157-inch BBC crew cab uses a one-piece fiberglass roof with 4-inch raised rear section, which provides up to 61 inches of interior height. The remaining crew cab structure is aluminum and provides an additional 52 inches of length and is 84 inches wide at the rear.

Also standard are Kenworth DayLite door assemblies and door panels, Granite Gray vinyl interior trim, Kenworth interior upper B-pillar and exterior grab handles, and DuPont Imron Elite single stage paint.

Crew cab options include an extended horizontal exhaust pipe, separate heater or heater/air conditioner, exterior access steps, carpet and custom trim packages, and DuPont™ Imron® Elite base/clear paint. Bench and bucket seats are available in addition to fire service SCBA seats.

Source: Kenworth

Hino Trucks Launches New Website

Hino Trucks has launched an updated website at www.hino.com that provides insight into the expanding vocational breadth of Hino truck applications and enhanced resources for new and returning customers. The website launch is part of a comprehensive online initiative positioning Hino with a leading, world-class presence on the internet.

According to Hino Trucks, the design was derived from three critical core elements – dynamic creativity, ease of content surfing and fast web page loading time - the new site combines bold images with vocational videos and concise messaging to communicate ‘The Hino Advantage’ attributes. Dominik Beckman, Marketing Manager, explains “Our goal was to present Hino Trucks online in a way that instills confidence and transforms the customer experience.”

The site is deployed on a content management system [CMS] and is comprised of many new features including, real life vocational case studies, complete model line up with flash video, and an enhanced news section featuring the latest breaking industry news and a media gallery. Hino’s truck model video, “Business in Motion”, spotlights Hino’s breadth of product and varying applications. The case studies section provides our visitors an opportunity to visualize Hino Trucks at work in their specific vocation, such as utility, delivery, and waste and recycling management.

Source and Image Credit: Hino Trucks