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Volvo Trucks first introduced hybrid commercial vehicles in London this past summer with six hybrid buses. The automaker is preparing to roll out an as-yet-unnamed hybrid garbage truck in the London market by 2012 according a press release last week. Veolia Environmental Science will use these garbage trucks on daily routes throughout central London. Volvo Trucks conducted 18 months of testing in Stockholm and Goteborg before establishing this agreement with Veolia.
The key element of the Volvo Trucks hybrid truck is the I-SAM system, which stands for Integrated Starter, Alternator, Motor. The I-SAM System mixes with Volvo’s I-Shift automatic transmission to reduce fuel consumption 30% compared to traditional trucks. The truck is powered by the Volvo D7 seven-liter diesel engine with 254kW of power along with a 120kW magnet synchronous electric motor. Volvo used its Swedish field tests to upgrade the truck’s battery to a 600-volt lithium-ion pack without sacrificing performance.
The Volvo Trucks hybrid garbage truck is also unique because it incorporates dedicated fuel lines for diesel and electric power. This dual-fuel system allows the driver to operate with either power source or use both for a power boost. Volvo Trucks added electric power steering to help truck drivers navigate around tight corners with ease. The truck also features all-electric trash compacting and storage thanks to a plug-in compacting system.
Volvo Trucks stated last week that the first units of its hybrid trash truck will be delivered at 2012 by the most generous estimates. These estimates push back the automaker’s original estimate of delivery to the market by 2010 based on decreased R&D funding and poor economic conditions. While the R&D delay may not be great for Volvo Trucks, it did allow the automaker to make important adjustments based on the 18-month field trial. Company researchers were able to fine-tune the dual-fuel drive system to eliminate fuel waste during gear shifts and test out the new lithium-ion battery.
The introduction of hybrid buses, trash trucks and other commercial vehicles in London is hopefully a launching pad to the rest of the world. These vehicles offer great examples of how hybrid vehicle technologies do not limit performance in the heavy-duty market. Volvo Trucks and other automakers need to be mindful about vehicle price even as the economy begins to shake free from recession. The initial run of Volvo Trucks trash trucks may be successful but if cities like London and companies like Veolia cannot afford fleet purchases, these trucks may fade away quickly as novelties.
