During an event in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Thursday, May 28, Mack Trucks Inc. was recognized for delivering a diesel-electric hybrid Mack TerraPro Low Entry model refuse truck to New York City. Meanwhile, a new Kenworth T370 also was introduced as the first medium-duty diesel-electric hybrid truck in the city’s truck fleet.
Mack said it is the first production-intent parallel diesel-electric hybrid truck in the United States designed specifically for Class 8 heavy-duty applications and meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2010 emissions regulations. Mack officials say it was an important milestone in the company’s hybrid commercialization process.
“We are very proud to be the first city in the country with a Mack truck of this type,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said about the truck, which will be evaluated in everyday operations by the city’s Department of Sanitation. “We all want clean neighborhoods, clean air, a clean environment. And clean trucks like this are essential in delivering on that promise.”
The TerraPro hybrid has a rear loading refuse packer body. It is equipped with a 325 hp Mack MP7 engine and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) exhaust aftertreatment technology, the approach that Mack is utilizing to meet EPA’s near-zero emissions standards for 2010.
The Mack diesel-electric hybrid powertrain used in the truck features an integrated starter, alternator and electric motor. The system captures energy from braking, converts the energy to electricity, stores the electricity in lithium-ion batteries, and uses it to power the electric motor, which assists the MP7 diesel engine with propulsion of the truck.
This technology provides the maximum fuel savings and environmental benefits on routes with frequent braking and accelerations, making refuse collection an ideal application. Mack says use of this hybrid system, when fully optimized, is expected to improve fuel economy by up to 30 percent, with a corresponding greenhouse gas emissions benefit.
The EPA 2010 regulations going into effect Jan. 1 mark the third set of emissions standards for the trucking industry since 2002, all requiring significant investments in new products and technologies. In 2007, heavy-duty manufacturers like Mack incorporated diesel particulate filters (DPFs) into their trucks to all but eliminate particulate matter (PM) emissions. The 2010 requirements call for emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) to be reduced by more than 80 percent starting Jan. 1, down to levels so minute they’re a challenge to even measure. Mack says SCR accomplishes the necessary NOx reduction via a catalytic reaction in the exhaust stream, while at the same time enhancing fuel economy; the SCR-DPF combination means trucks like the Mack TerraPro delivered to New York are the cleanest in the world, even before the incorporation of hybrid technology.
“The delivery of this truck marks a key milestone in a longstanding successful partnership,” said Dennis R. Slagle, Mack president and chief executive officer. “The Mack-New York City connection goes back more than 100 years. The Mack brothers built their first buses and trucks in Brooklyn. And in so many ways, we share a common heritage — tough, hard-working, reliable. We’re also both committed to a clean environment. By burning up to 30 percent less fuel and emitting significantly less CO2, Mack diesel-electric hybrid trucks can have a great impact on the quality of the air we breathe. We’re also proud to be the first manufacturer to provide the city with a heavy-duty hybrid truck fully compliant with the EPA 2010 emissions regulations.”
“We ask a lot of the trucks in our operations, and Mack has always provided us with products that stand up to the rigors of what we put them through,” said John J. Doherty, commissioner of the city’s Department of Sanitation. “We look forward to putting this hybrid through its paces as well — cleaning up the city while at the same time cleaning the air.”
Sanitation department officials also welcomed the Kenworth T370 hybrid, which was delivered in early May. “We are pleased to introduce the Kenworth T370 as New York City’s first medium-duty diesel-electric hybrid truck,” said Rocco DiRico, deputy commissioner of support services for the New York City Department of Sanitation. “We are committed to use fuel-efficient vehicles that will reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions and improve the air we breathe. The Kenworth hybrid will help reduce fuel consumption and emissions in New York City.”
The city’s T370 hybrid is equipped with a stakebed body, Paccar PX-6 engine rated at 240 hp and 560 lb-ft of torque, and the Eaton diesel-electric hybrid power system. The Kenworth hybrid’s assignment is to pick up and deliver supplies and parts for the Department of Sanitation’s various locations throughout the New York City metropolitan area. The department expects to introduce three more T370 hybrids into service later this year.
“Kenworth Truck Company and its New York City dealer, Gabrielli Kenworth, are honored that the New York City Department of Sanitation chose the Kenworth T370 hybrid as the first medium-duty hybrid truck to enter service in New York City’s truck fleet,” said Bill Kozek, Kenworth general manager and Paccar vice president. “Kenworth is an industry leader in providing products that help enhance fuel economy and reduce emissions.”
Kenworth hybrids use an integral transmission-mounted motor/generator, a frame-mounted 340-volt lithium-ion battery pack and a dedicated power management system. Electricity generated through regenerative braking is stored and used for acceleration, assisting the diesel engine. The hybrid system is monitored through an in-dash display. As the power requirements for different driving conditions change, the screen constantly updates the driver on system status.
The T270 Class 6 and T370 Class 7 diesel-electric hybrid trucks are for use in pickup-and-delivery, utility and service applications. Kenworth medium-duty hybrid tractors, available up to 55,000-lb GCW, are for local haul applications, including beverage, general freight and grocery distribution. Purchasers of Kenworth hybrid trucks may qualify for a federal tax credit ranging from $6,000 to $12,000.
