My Perfect Automobile » Hybrid Trucks

Icon Bob Lutz Puts Via Motors on the Map

Larry Bell — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:25:16 +0000

Bob Lutz

Automotive icon Bob Lutz has been a staple of the transportation industry for a half-century, having spent 47 years in the business even before his retirement from GM as vice chairman in 2010. He held senior leadership jobs at four of the world’s biggest carmakers and now serves on numerous boards of diverse organizations like the Marine Military Academy, Transonic Combustion, and the U.S. Marine Corps University Foundation. These days, Lutz works hard at ushering in the era of the extended-range electric truck, having already earned the moniker, “Father of the Chevy Volt” while at GM.

Bob Lutz: Video

One of Lutz’s current projects is Via Motors, a company that produces extended-range electric trucks. The brief video clip below features the latest offerings from the company and was shown during this year’s North American International Auto Show, at the press conference for Via Motors that was hosted by Bob Lutz. “Affordable, powerful, quiet, and clean,” as the narrator’s voice intones, Via’s electric work trucks are unique in the industry. As with so many of Lutz’s projects, Via Motors is already changing the way fleet managers think about transportation.

Bob Lutz and Via Motors

Still consulting for General Motors, Bob also sits on the boards of Via Motors and is a member of the advisory board for Lotus Cars, Current Motor, and Alexander Proudfoot. Lutz’s career began back in 1961, when he earned his bachelor’s degree in Production Management from Cal-Berkeley, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa. The next year, he received his master’s degree in Marketing from the same school, with highest honors. Forty-one years later, Bob was awarded an honorary Doctor of Management degree from Kettering University. Fluent in English, German, and French, Lutz will turn 81 in February.

For more about Via Motors, see the company’s official website:
http://www.viamotors.com
For the website of Lutz Communications, see:
http://www.boblutzsez.com

Larry Bell

Larry Bell + is My Perfect Automobile’s Genius Author, but we call him ‘The Expert‘. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Expert Author. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

Via Motors Unveils 70 MPG Pickup

Larry Bell — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:16:55 +0000

Via Motors’ 804 hp XTRUX electric truck

Via Motors took the wraps off a new concept at the ongoing Detroit Motor Show this week. The stunningly huge off-road truck achieves 70 mpg, and is in some ways a beefed up version of the Chevy Volt. Called the X-Trux, the plug-in is able to travel 40 miles in electric mode, thanks to a 24 kWh battery pack. After that, the combustion engine takes over. The gasoline engine itself gets impressive fuel economy, rating a hefty 34 mpg. The X-Trux has two electric motors, each a 402-horsepower unit. Right now, the company makes a full line of extended-range trucks, known as V-Trux, that are smaller than the big concept model.

Via Motors: Video

Just a concept for now, the Via Motors 804 horsepower extended-range electric truck is really a remarkable sight. Have a look for yourself in the brief video clip below from CNN, which features some nice shots of the EREV monster along with a few pertinent comments from the narrator. Via revealed the gigantic off-road model at this year’s NAIAS.

Via Motors

Both the X-Trux and V-Trux models feature electrical outlets that allow the owner to plug just about any type of appliance directly into the vehicle. Offering 15 kilowatts of plug-in power, the trucks act as mobile generators, a very handy ability for workers who need to plug in tools at remote job sites. Via is intending of offer a 50 kW upgrade for the outlets. Generators with similar capability sell for around $30,000, and those don’t come with a hybrid-electric truck attached to them.

Via currently focuses on fleet markets for its extended-range electric trucks, and performs the conversions in Michigan, though that situation will be changing in the near future when the company opens an assembly plant in Mexico.

For more about Via Motors see the company’s official corporate website:
http://www.viamotors.com

Larry Bell

Hybrid-Electric Tank Would be a First

Larry Bell — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:14:18 +0000

Hybrid-Electric Tank: Artist’s rendering

BAE Systems has proposed a hybrid-electric military tank as part of an Army competition to develop a Ground Combat Vehicle. The company’s entry offers a fast, fuel-efficient and quiet alternative to the typical 70-ton tank. Costing less to operate, and using less oil, the hybrid tank could save as much as 20 percent on fuel, and would be able to move faster than conventional military combat vehicles.

Hybrid-Electric Tank: Video

Green energy is not a new concept for the U.S. military. In fact, at a recent Chicago Auto Show, there was a display of Army vehicles that run on various forms of alternative energy. The CERV (clandestine extended-range vehicle) is a diesel-electric hybrid that can reach top speeds of 80 mph. Built mostly for targeting and rescue activity, the CERV features a “silent run” mode for secret missions! California’s Quantum Technologies Worldwide Inc. worked with the U.S. Army to create the vehicle. Because combat units are often cut off from gasoline supply lines, the military has been experimenting with mobile solar cells that can charge various devices when in the field, and on the move.

Hybrid-Electric Tank

Two key elements of successful military vehicle design are fuel efficiency and low noise. Combat units often have to skimp on the use of fuel, so a tank that could run longer, and quieter, would be a doubly advantageous acquisition. Until now, the U.S. military has used alternative fuel sources, but never for something as large as a tank.

Once the design competition is over, the Army wants to begin using its new vehicles sometime in 2018 or shortly thereafter. The approximate manufacturing cost per vehicle would be between $9 million and $10.5 million. If all goes well, the Army would acquire nearly 2,000 of the new vehicles.

For more about BAE Systems Inc., see the company’s website:
www.baesystems.com/

For the official website of the U.S. Army, see:
http://www.army.mil/

Larry Bell

Ford F-150 Hybrid on the Way?

Larry Bell — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 06:35:09 +0000

Ford F-150 might go hybrid

Ford and Toyota are working on a rear-drive hybrid system that could end up on a Ford F-150 truck in the near future, Ford has announced. In collaboration with Japanese automaker Toyota, Ford hopes to bring down engineering costs and speed development of the final product. The Michigan carmaker’s engineers have said the biggest challenges for the project are aerodynamics on the big truck, as well as creating a hybrid power train that can withstand the demands of towing heavy loads.

Ford F-150 EV Conversion: Video

To get an idea of what Ford’s engineers are up against, the video clip below profiles a company that converted F-150s to electric drive. Many of the challenges are similar to making the F-150 into a hybrid vehicle. For one thing, the truck is huge. In addition, many owners of the F-150 buy it for hauling and towing, which translates into extreme demand on the power train.

Ford F-150 Hybrid: Facts

The key to building a hybrid F-150, according to designers and engineers at Ford, is fuel economy. If the team cannot get mpg numbers up to a decent level, then the effort might be counterproductive. However, Ford and Toyota are confident they can make it happen, already mentioning that the collaboration has created an innovative synergy that neither company could have achieved alone.

Ford’s competitor, GM, offers hybrid versions of the Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Denali, and Yukon. Ford, however, is aiming for much higher fuel efficiency than the hybrid Silverado’s 20/23 mpg. Ford’s management team has gone on record recently, saying that the company’s main goal is fuel efficiency. Any hybrid vehicle that emerges from the Ford-Toyota collaboration will no doubt have to offer acceptable EPA mileage ratings.

For more about the F-150 hybrid and other ideas coming from Ford Motor Company, see the official corporate website:
http://www.ford.com

Larry Bell

Jay Leno, Bob Lutz Talk Hybrid Trucks

Larry Bell — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 14:10:00 +0000

A VIA Motors hybrid truck

Two of the world’s most enthusiastic car guys got together recently to film a segment of Jay Leno’s Garage. Jay spent the afternoon with VIA Motors board member Bob Lutz. The two took one of the VIA hybrid trucks for a spin, after which Leno pronounced his whole-hearted endorsement of the company’s line of hybrid trucks. If you are a fan of the show, Jay often reviews vehicles without giving any thumbs up, or even a tepid approval. Interestingly, the interaction between Leno and Lutz brings out the great love each man has for automobile technology.

Jay Leno, Bob Lutz: Video

The video clip below features some of the highlights of the show, especially the fascinating initial interview with Lutz, who espoused his views about the wonders of hybrid technology. Lutz is largely responsible for development of the Chevy Volt, which occurred during his time as an executive at GM. Now partially retired, with emphasis on the word ‘partially,’ Lutz still runs several businesses, flies his private planes, and travels on behalf of VIA Motors.

VIA Motors

VIA Motors produces a line of trucks and vans that are essentially, as Lutz explains in the video clip, larger versions of the Chevy Volt. VIA has already sold large numbers of the vehicles to fleets, and should begin full-scale production, and sale, for the public within about six months. One of the most popular features of the VIA trucks is their ability to act as power sources for any electrical need, from large tools to entire homes.

Technically, VIA’s trucks are considered extended-range hybrid vehicles, custom made by the company from components that are purchased from GM and others. After VIA puts everything together, the result is a 100-mile range powerhouse of a truck, capable of working as a fleet or personal vehicle.

For more about Bob Lutz’s VIA Motors, see the company’s official website:
http://www.viamotors.com

Larry Bell

Electric Trucks and Alt Fuel Fleets all around us.

Bob T — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 14:55:40 +0000

Secretary Steven Chu

Secretary Chu Announces Best Buy, Johnson Controls, Pacific Gas and Electric, and Veolia to Join National Clean Fleets Partnership!

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t spot an Alt Fuel Truck or delivery vehicle on the road. Regularly I have seen UPS Hybrid Trucks in my neighborhood, but yesterday I spotted an all-electric Fedex delivery truck. It looked like no Fedex Truck I had seen before. Last month I reported on spotting a Fedex Hybrid Truck which looks like a regular Fedex Truck except for the writing on the side indicating it was a Hybrid truck. It makes sense that certain fleet vehicles such as postal vehicles, parking meter attendants, Garbage Trucks, local traffic enforcement, UPS, Fedex and short haul delivery vehicles and such should be the first to go Hybrid as such vehicles are constantly subject to stop and go driving.

Check out this link for information about what our government is doing to make our cities cleaner and who has already joined the partnership:

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/national_partnership.html

Here is a press announcement that indicates that soon we will see thousands more such vehicles in our neighborhood:

March 5, 2012 – 12:15pm

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that four new corporate partners – Best Buy, Johnson Controls, Pacific Gas and Electric, and Veolia – are joining the Energy Department’s National Clean Fleets Partnership, a broad public-private partnership that assists the nation’s largest fleet operators in reducing the amount of gasoline and diesel they use nationwide. The new partners announced today join with 14 other major national companies in committing to improve the fuel economy of the commercial fleets, integrate alternative technology vehicles like natural gas trucks and electric vehicles into their fleets, and reduce their overall fuel use. Collectively, the National Clean Fleets Partners operate more than a million commercial vehicles nationwide, accounting for more than 12 percent of all commercial vehicles on American roads.

Secretary Chu announced the new partners at Green Truck Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana, during which he discussed the Obama Administration’s investments in fuel-efficient technologies for commercial vehicles and truck fleets.

Fedex all electric truck

“As part of the President’s all-of-the-above approach to reducing fuel costs for American consumers and businesses, the National Clean Fleets Partnership helps leading U.S. companies reduce their fuel use, save money, and become models for fleets across the nation to improve their efficiency,” said Secretary Steven Chu. “By adopting alternative fuels, advanced vehicles and by making their operations smarter and more fuel-efficient, these national partners are increasing their competitiveness and helping to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.”

The Green Truck Summit, held in conjunction with NTEA’s Work Truck Show, is known for offering cutting-edge solutions at the forefront of technology, and has become the leading educational forum on how the “green revolution” impacts work trucks, including delivery vans, service trucks and garbage trucks. NTEA, the Association for the Work Truck Industry, represents nearly 1,600 companies that manufacture, distribute, install, sell and repair commercial trucks, truck bodies, truck equipment, trailers and accessories.

The National Clean Fleets Partnership, first announced by President Obama last April, aims to speed the deployment of clean, energy-efficient vehicles and the infrastructure to support their widespread use nationwide. This public-private partnership helps large companies reduce diesel and gasoline use in their fleets by incorporating alternative fuels, electric vehicles, and fuel-saving measures into their daily operations. This announcement represents another major step towards reducing fuel use and achieving greater efficiency and cost-savings for the nation’s largest commercial vehicle fleets.

Under the partnership, Energy Department experts provide each company with specialized resources, technical expertise, and support in developing a comprehensive strategy to reduce fuel use and achieve greater efficiency and cost-savings. The Department also helps connect partners with clean fuel providers and equipment manufacturers where their fleets operate.

The new partners announced today have already begun taking action to develop and implement fuel-efficiency projects in their fleets, including:

Best Buy – With more than 20,000 Geek Squad agents, Best Buy closely manages their fleet of approximately 5,000 vehicles. Since 2009, Best Buy has reduced its carbon emissions from fuel use by 21 percent. The reduction was achieved through decreased engine sizes, deployment of the smallest, most fuel-efficient vehicles for the job, and elimination of underutilized assets. Best Buy is testing both electric and propane vehicles and has piloted telematics technology to help further reduce fuel use. Best Buy joined the partnership in March 2012.

Johnson Controls, Inc. – Johnson Controls has committed to design and deliver increasingly sustainable products, services and solutions that will help its customers improve their energy efficiency, reduce their carbon footprint, and achieve their environmental goals. The company has implemented several greenhouse gas reduction strategies in its global fleet of 19,000 vehicles worldwide. Beginning in 2009, the U.S. fleet introduced hybrid vehicles. The fleet today runs more than 500 hybrid vehicles, which each reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30 percent. In 2011, it deployed 20 all-electric vans, which are estimated to achieve a 61 percent GHG reduction per vehicle. Other strategies include the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) vans, and higher mileage vans and trucks. In 2012, Johnson Controls will pilot the use of telematics and continue with the deployment of additional alternative fuel vehicles, including propane-fueled units.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company – With more than 3,100 on-road alternative fuel and high efficiency vehicles, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) operates one of the greenest utility fleets in the nation. Since 1995, PG&E’s alternative fuel fleet has displaced nearly 7 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel and helped prevent more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. In 2007, PG&E was the first utility to demonstrate the ability of electric vehicles to supply homes and businesses with power. PG&E joined the partnership in March 2012.

UPS Low emision Hybrid

Veolia Environmental Services – The Solid Waste division of Veolia Environmental Services maintains a fleet of more than 3,000 trucks, heavy equipment, and support vehicles. The company is dedicated to reducing petroleum use and emissions through route optimization, alternative fuels, and hybridization. As of 2012, the company operates four CNG fueling stations and more than 100 CNG refuse-collection and support vehicles. Veolia joined the partnership in December 2011.

Visit HERE for an update on the current National Clean Fleets Partners and additional background on the initiative.

Bob Twaalfhoven

Bob Twaalfhoven + is My Perfect Automobile’s Genius Owner and Visionary Creator, but people just call him “Bob T”.. Here is his full Bio: Bob Twaalfhoven. Bob lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Founder of BobCAD-CAM software. BobCAD-CAM was created by Bob, who was an engineer graduate of MIT in 1978. He created the software as a means to bring the technology of CAD/CAM to the personal computer. But overall – Bob is a lover of cars, engines and anything that is fast…

Via Motors, Bob Lutz: Electric Transportation’s Future

Larry Bell — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:59:25 +0000

Bob Lutz

Tradition, Experience, and SUVs

Bob Lutz, the man behind the Chevy Volt, is now a senior member of the Via Motors management team. Via is strategically positioning itself in the industry to be the leading manufacturer of the world’s next generation of electrified transportation options. Trucks, SUVs, and vans are all part of the mix. Lutz himself is on record as stating that in all his years of experience with auto giants BMW, Ford, GM, and Chrysler, he considers the Volt as the “most important” car of all.

Via Motors CEO Kraig Higginson, who is revved up (no pun intended) to have netted industry icon Lutz for the Via Motors team, sees a growing market for electrified trucks, “the work horse of America,” as Lutz calls them.

Higginson points to one of the many advantages of the company’s hybrid-electric trucks, saying that not only are they more economical to own and operate than gas models, but each year they will become more of an economic asset as fuel prices inevitably rise and battery prices drop. In fact, the Via Motors business model’s win-win formula is not only good for the bottom line, but serves the environment well. Via’s COO Alan Perriton, another GM alum, mentions this tantalizing fact: “Electrifying one truck is like taking two small cars off the road.”

Via Motors builds electrified versions of trucks, vans and SUVs by way of a pre-order system through its website. While the first wave of deliveries will be for fleet orders of 50 vehicles or more, consumer deliveries will begin in 2013. To see the Via Motors model offerings, visit their website at: http://www.viamotors.com. For an extensive biographical sketch of Bob Lutz, detailing his many years as a key player at the very highest levels of the auto industry, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lutz_%28businessman%

Larry Bell

Via Motors’ Big Splash in Detroit

Larry Bell — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:41:30 +0000

Via's eREV extended cab pickup

Via Motors, the Utah company that manufactures, develops and sells a line of electric SUVs and trucks will premiere its new electric pickup truck at the upcoming NAIAS, also known as the Detroit Motor Show. Founded in 2010, the company has made numerous headlines this past year with its EV lineup as well as the addition of Bob Lutz to its personnel list. Lutz is one of the most famous names in the automobile business worldwide; having been a Vice Chairman and Special Advisor at General Motors until his retirement in 2010, the same year Via was established.

Lutz, who is often referred to as the ‘father of the Chevy Volt’ due to his involvement with that car’s creation and development, will introduce Via’s new electric models at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In all, the company will debut three brand new vehicles, namely a 4×4 SUV, a cargo van, and a pickup truck. Lutz will officially introduce the three Via models just after noon, EST on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at the Detroit show.

Each of the three vehicles is capable of driving for up to 40 miles purely on electric, lithium-ion battery power. The batteries feature flame resistant components. After that, another 400 miles can be coaxed out of the engines via an onboard generating system similar to the one in the Chevy Volt. The company says that average fuel efficiency for the three models will be in the 100 mpg vicinity.

Initially, Via is taking orders for the 2012 lineup only from fleet customers, but later on will likely accept orders from individual buyers. Via spokespersons say the company hopes to reach production levels of 20,000 vehicles each year between now and approximately 2015. Lutz previously introduced the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Viper when he was one of the top members of GM’s management team.

For more information about Via Motors, see the company’s website at: http://www.viamotors.com

Larry Bell

Fedex Hybrid Trucks

Bob T — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:57:58 +0000

Fedex Hybrid Diesel Truck

In 2000, as passenger hybrid cars were just beginning to grow in popularity, FedEx teamed with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) on an ambitious project to make the standard delivery truck more environmentally friendly.

At the time, a handful of companies had tested cleaner vehicle technology, such as hybrids, but few had made commitments to add them to their commercial fleets. FedEx had long sought efficiencies in fleet operations to reduce fuel use and pollution, but recognized that advanced technology had the potential to greatly enhance those benefits.

FedEx work with EDF was a collaborative effort. The process began by clearly defining its goals for the vehicle: (1) improve environmental performance, (2) maintain or improve operational performance and (3) increase market share for clean delivery vehicles. To achieve this final goal, FedEx decided the technology would not be proprietary and would work with EDF to advocate for more adoption.

A request for proposal was issued to the industry, and FedEx and EDF selected Eaton Corporation and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation to build the FedEx hybrid-electric truck. One year later, the first available commercial hybrid delivery truck was placed into service on FedEx routes. The hybrid trucks improve fuel economy by 42 percent, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent and cut particulate pollution by 96 percent.

Today, the success story for cleaner truck technology continues. Worldwide, FedEx Express is operating 408 vehicles with drive train configurations other than the standard diesel/gasoline-burning power sources. Forty-three of them are all-electric and 365 are hybrid diesel-electric or gasoline-electric. Those 408 have driven over 9.5 million miles, reducing fuel use by almost 276,000 gallons and carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 2,800 metric tons. The FedEx hybrid vehicle project has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Harvard University and WestSTART-CALSTART for its role in spurring hybrid truck advancements.

The effort has also helped spur expansion of the technology in the market. While FedEx once sourced hybrids from only one supplier, today FedEx uses technologies from seven different companies — Eaton Corporation, Isuzu, Azure Dynamics and Iveco. In 2005 FedEx had the only 18 hybrid commercial vehicles on the road. Now it has 330 and there are over 1,700 hybrid delivery trucks on the road in the U.S., used by a wide variety of companies.

FedEx has continued its role as a leader in the industry by encouraging more companies to purchase and develop clean-technology trucks. Its vehicle experts have participated in numerous industry conferences and gatherings to educate companies about the benefits of cleaner truck technology. FedEx has also championed the need for a smaller engine for application in hybrid vehicles following the 2007 EPA federal engine standard to replace the existing larger, less efficient engine.

FedEx recognizes that government support will give a major boost to this technology. FedEx is the only transportation company to publicly call for fuel efficiency standards for commercial medium and heavy-duty truck classes. In addition, FedEx has been an advocate for government incentives at the national, state and local levels to offset the higher capital costs of cleaner vehicles while the market is developing, and its CEO and Chairman Frederick W. Smith has testified numerous times before Congress regarding the electrification of transportation.

There remains tremendous potential for growth in the cleaner vehicle technology market. Mitch Jackson, vice president of environmental affairs and sustainability at FedEx explains, “It’s time for the truck manufacturing industry to create its version of the Prius: clean, affordable and widely available for truck fleets.”

Fedex Green Vehicle in Paris

The integration of cleaner vehicles into its fleet has extended beyond hybrids and across a number of markets.

Among these vehicles are 43 all-electric commercial vehicles deployed in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Memphis, New York City and Paris.
FedEx has 365 hybrid-electric delivery vehicles, including an all-hybrid station in New York City.
FedEx operates 58 trucks fueled by CNG (compressed natural gas), LNG (liquefied natural gas), and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), in Europe, the Asia Pacific and Latin America.
FedEx has more than 320 LPG and electric-powered ground support equipment in use at the CDG hub in Paris and other operational facilities across Europe, with another 55 on order.
FedEx is a founding member of CAREX in France, an association committed to using rail as an alternative logistics solution to deliver European express cargo, thus reducing noise and carbon emissions.
In Japan, FedEx teamed with General Motors in the test operations of a fuel-cell delivery vehicle for one year.
FedEx Ground is working with Parker Hannifin Corporation to test a hybrid hydraulic technology on a heavier class vehicle (Class 6).
FedEX operates biodiesel trucks on routes in the Washington, D.C., area as well as hybrid electric trucks.
FedEx Office uses 7 hybrid passenger vehicles to support its sales and delivery operations.
FedEx operates a large number of electric and alternative-fuel support vehicles worldwide, including more than 500 forklifts and 1,600 ground equipment units at airports.
Couriers in New York City and in London’s West End deliver many of their packages on foot, reducing vehicle emissions and traffic congestion, and in Paris FedEx has an electric tricycle delivery vehicle.

Bob Twaalfhoven