Hybrid Diesel Trucks

UPS recently announced they will test a newly-developed hybrid diesel that uses stored hydraulic pressure rather than a large, expensive battery. No mention of the size of the reservoir nor the pressures involved. In addition to using the braking system to pump hydraulic fluid into a high-pressure reservoir, the drive train is driven hydraulically. The estimated cost of the trucks is 14% to 18% more than standard diesels and they expect a 50% savings in fuel costs. In addition, carbon emissions are cut by 30%.

The EPA funded the research into these vehicles and holds the patents. Eaton manufactured the seven test vehicles that UPS will deploy. There are other folks interested in applying the technology to buses and other start-stop vehicles where the technology yields its greatest efficiency.

A Ford Taurus diesel was actually prototyped by the EPA in 2000 that achieved 80 miles per gallon, but it was never mass produced because of the auto industry slump and funding cuts. The EPA believes that a 100-MPG sedan is possible.

Click the title of this post for a related BusinessWeek article.