Posted on 08/22/2006 9:52:46 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After badgering American manufacturers to produce cleaner, more-fuel-efficient vehicles, the Environmental Protection Agency is about to see its first product hit the streets.
The engineers at the EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory here have built and tested many prototypes over the years, including a diesel-hydraulic passenger car that gets more than 80 miles per gallon. But the first EPA-influenced product to travel beyond the laboratory will be a garbage truck.
The garbage truck -- slated for rollout next year -- is a hybrid vehicle. Most hybrids use two power sources. In this case, the garbage truck will tap a diesel-burning engine and a hydraulic pump.
Soaring gasoline prices are pushing American auto buyers into showrooms for more-efficient vehicles, but the impetus is stronger among buyers of big trucks, says Bradley F. Bohlmann, a marketing manager for Eaton Corp. The Cleveland company will begin producing and selling the hydraulic-hybrid-transmission system pioneered by the EPA lab next year. The systems will be installed in truck bodies assembled by Peterbilt, a division of Paccar, Inc., of Bellevue, Wash.
Peterbilt in turn will market the garbage trucks and has targeted both the private sector and municipalities as sales prospects. Among U.S. cities, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles have indicated the greatest interest thus far, according to Peterbilt.
The garbage truck, which stores and reuses energy normally lost in the braking process, will increase fuel-efficiency as much as 30%, Mr. Bohlmann predicts. Following the garbage truck may be a parade of yet more-efficient vehicles, starting with delivery trucks used by United Parcel Service Inc., which is testing two hydraulic-hybrid vehicles.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Garbage in and garbage out? Just kidding. It is in our national interest to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. We are way behind where we should be.
driving, under the influence?
Interesting. I was just reading an article about the EPA effort to produce a hybrid hydraulic vehicle, in Popular Science.
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/automotivetech/e5690576b64fc010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/2.html
If the free market were allowed to operate we would'nt have an
oil problem. The EPA is not going to solve anything.
I've always wondered a bit why they hadn't designed vehicles with hydraulic motors at each wheel. This added thing about compressing nitrogen via braking adds even more interest for me.
its the endangered species act all over again.
500 horsepower in the palm of your hand was pretty intriguing, too.
I think diesels are only available in US vehicles for large pickups.
This is not true. There are diesels in all sizes including compact passenger cars.
The hydraulic hybrid takes advantage of the particular driving pattern of the garbage truck, where it stops and starts every 200 feet of so.
Anybody who is on a route that is serviced at 4:00 AM knows that the rumbling diesel works hard to get that vehicle moving, and the squealing brakes dissipate a lot of energy getting it to stop a few seconds later.
The other nice thing about this idea is that it should be a lot quieter.
There WERE Diesels in all sizes. Clinton's 1996 Particulate emmissions regs has effectively killed the Diesel passenger car for the 2007 model year.
If you want a vehicle with a Gross Vehicle weight over 6200# with a Diesel, you can still buy one, however.
I look at that sketch and envision what might happen after a few years of New England winter salt knawing at the components. (FYI, I had to replace all metal brake and power steering lines on my MA Jeep shortly after I brought it here to Texas...)
To paraphrase Lennart, my old Swedish fishing partner, "I sure miss those salty wihtertime New England roads. I sure miss 'em -- but not veddy much!"
They'll be back, however.
The choices are slim for this year as the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel takes effect but you can purchase a new compact car in the US with a diesel engine. The following year, many more will follow.
Mercedes-Benz currently sells diesel passenger cars, and will have three diesels for 2007 (E320 BLUETEC Sedan, ML320 CDI SUV, R320 CDI Sports Tourer (minivan)).
I've never lived in an environment where heavy use of road salt is an issue. In the past five years or so, my area of NC has switched to brine spray, which costs less and is more effective, but we only get a few snow or ice storms per year here, and most of those are one day events, as far as road conditions are concerned.
So if you have $50K burning a hole in your pocket, you too can afford a Diesel.
Thanks, Bill! Yet another stupid regulation "for the the children".
For now, you can still find VW Jetta Diesels in the low $20K range, in most of the US at least. There will be no more, come the 07 model year, but I understand they'll be reintroduced, once they're up to dealing with the low sulphur requirement.
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