Trucking news and briefs for Friday, April 8, 2022:
First 2027 CARB regs-compliant diesel engine enters fleet service
Achates Power says its new engine is the first diesel engine on the road to be compliant with CARB's stringent 2027 ultra-low NOx emissions regulations.
The company says this is the only diesel engine operating on the road capable of meeting CARB’s 2027 regulation, which requires a 90% reduction in emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) compared to current standards.
The project team also demonstrated that the engine, known as a heavy-duty opposed-piston diesel engine, reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) by 10%. The Achates Power ultra-low-NOx engine is engineered to achieve superior fuel efficiency because of its lower heat losses, improved combustion and reduced pumping losses, the company adds.
[Related: Achates near-zero 10.6 diesel may never be produced, CEO says]
Achates says the cleaner engine is able to deliver ultra-low NOx by managing exhaust gas temperatures to ensure rapid catalyst light off and by maintaining aftertreatment temperatures at optimum operating conditions in all driving conditions.
“Achates Power is grateful that the California Air Resources Board led the funding of this demonstration program, and we are pleased to work with our partners around the world to bring opposed-piston engines to the market,” said Dave Crompton, President and CEO of Achates Power. “It is particularly noteworthy that we were able to achieve the extremely stringent state NOx limits without any additional emissions control devices, reducing cost, complexity, and compliance risk of ultralow NOx powertrain solutions.”
The opposed-piston engine can use existing manufacturing facilities, processes and materials to allow rapid time-to-market and deployment, the company adds. It is expected to cost less than current engines, even as it meets much more stringent environmental regulations. It does not require any additional emissions control devices and has a reduced part count compared to conventional engines.
Additionally, Achates Power is conducting further testing with a fully aged catalyst (the equivalent of 800,000 miles of operation) to demonstrate continued ability to meet CARB’s stringent standards.
Foodservice fleet adds Volvo electric truck to Canadian fleet
Martin Brower recently added a Volvo VNR Electric to its fleet in Montreal, Canada.
The zero-tailpipe emission tractor will be dedicated to pulling McDonald’s-branded trailers for food and beverage deliveries to McDonald’s restaurants in the Montreal area. Martin Brower has been a key supply chain partner for McDonald's globally since it opened its first restaurant in the U.S. in 1956.
“We are excited to partner with our long-time customer Martin Brower to be the first to deploy a Volvo VNR Electric in Montreal in collaboration with McDonald’s Canada,” said Paul Kudla, managing director for Canada, Volvo Trucks North America. “It's a strong statement when all key partners align towards clear greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. We look forward to continued collaborations with both organizations as they begin their electromobility journey.”
The Volvo VNR Electric tractor will deliver to local McDonald’s restaurants within a range of 150 km (95 miles) of Martin Brower’s Montreal Distribution Centre. McDonald’s Canada is conducting a trial of the Volvo VNR Electric as part of a plan to assess the feasibility of scaling alternative fuel vehicles to service its more than 1,400 restaurants across Canada where possible.
The tractor will be serviced by Camions Volvo Montreal, which was recently announced as one of the first two Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle dealerships in Canada. Its sales team is fully educated to consult with customers that are considering investing in any of the Volvo VNR Electric model configurations. Its service team has also been fully trained and equipped to safely maintain and repair the Volvo VNR Electric’s drivetrain and components.
Mack intros electric truck range calculator
Mack Trucks recently introduced its Range Calculator for Electric Vehicles to help customers simulate real-world collection routes. Mack says the information allows users to plan and build routes for the Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle based on many route-specific variables.
The Range Calculator takes into account the battery capacity, refuse body application type, ambient temperature, terrain and the amount of stops on a specific route, enabling customers to estimate and plan for the energy that will be consumed on the route.
“The Range Calculator for Electric Vehicles is a useful tool for customers and potential customers so when they’re making the decision about whether to purchase an electric vehicle, they can easily plan collection routes that will be best suited for the vehicle,” said Scott Barraclough, Mack Trucks senior product manager of e-mobility. “The tool is easy to use and can predict when the vehicle should need to be charged, if necessary, so that the proper planning can be made.”
Using GPS data collected from the customer’s current routes, Mack is able to utilize the data to produce a detailed report predicting the number of starts and stops the Mack LR Electric can fulfill on the specific route. The calculator takes into account increasing payload, regenerative braking, and the time spent at each stop.
Customers interested in the Range Calculator for Electric Vehicles can speak with their local Mack dealer.
