Hydraulic hybrid

In all the years this blog/web-zine has been in existence (nearly 10 years!), I do believe this is the first time I've ever written/noted anything positive about the EPA. Good for them. As an urban resident, I'm quite happy about any vehicle that reduces emissions.

WSJ.com - EPA Unveils New Hybrid Truck, Which Is to Be Tested by UPS The Environmental Protection Agency rolled out a “hydraulic hybrid” delivery truck that it says will boost fuel efficiency by 60% to 70% in stop-and-go city traffic.

The truck has a system, patented by the EPA, that turns the energy from braking into stored energy that helps to turn the rear wheels. The test models will be delivery trucks used by United Parcel Service Inc., which helped design the prototypes. The U.S. Army, Ford Motor Co. and International Truck & Engine Corp., a unit of Navistar International Corp., are among those interested in pursuing the technology, according to the EPA.

...The EPA's system is different because it stores the energy in a hydraulic system that compresses nitrogen in a tank. When the compressed nitrogen is released into a second tank, it pushes the hydraulic fluid through a pump motor that turns the truck's rear wheels....EPA tests predict the hybrid-hydroelectric systems will add $7,000 to the cost of trucks when they are mass-produced.

He added that the system also reduces brake and engine wear. According to the EPA, the technology, when fully operational, will allow the truck's engine to operate at maximum efficiency and will automatically shut down engines when the hydraulic drive system has enough stored energy to power the truck. The trucks won't have a conventional transmission or drive-train system.

Mr. Johnson said any royalties earned by the EPA's patent will be used for research.

Tags: Energy, /environment, /EPA