Hyliion has debuted an electric powertrain in a Class 8 tractor that the company says features a range of more than 1,300 miles and doesn’t require charging infrastructure thanks to an onboard generator.
The Texas-based company is powering the electric motors of its Hypertruck Electric Range Extender (ERX) with a battery pack charged by an onboard generator that’s powered by either natural gas or carbon-cutting renewable natural gas (RNG), both of which already have a well-developed infrastructure network.
Hyliion is accepting reservations for $5,000 each, the proceeds of which help fund the development of the powertrain which is currently being tested in a Freightliner Cascadia day cab. A video below shows the truck doing a burnout.
The company also plans to leverage its long-standing partnership with supplier Dana Inc. The Hypertruck ERX will feature Dana’s electric motor, inverter and axle technologies, and Dana plans to provide its manufacturing capabilities to support Hyliion in reaching series production of its powertrain systems. Initial Hypertruck ERX fleet demonstration vehicles have been allocated to customers for delivery in 2021, with series shipments scheduled for 2022.
While battery electric vehicle manufacturers often boast of low energy costs in terms of refueling, Hyliion reports that its powertrain “produces electricity at roughly 30% less than the average grid cost, which yields a seven-year cost-of-ownership unmatched by any diesel, battery-electric (BEV) or hydrogen fuel-cell (FCEV) Class 8 truck under development.”
The generator will produce electricity to provide accessory power to the cab, to charge the batteries and to provide energy direct to the drive motor when appropriate, the company said. No conventional transmission or mechanical driveshaft is connected to the generator.
Hyliion Founder and CEO Thomas Healy said government incentives, coupled with the truck’s lower fuel costs, will help fleets step up to its estimated $220,000 price tag. Hyliion, which has been in talks with several OEMs, will focus on supplying truck manufacturers with high volume sleeper and day cab models.
