A bill in the Senate (S.2854) will increase potential tax incentives for medium- and heavy-duty fleet vehicles to $15,000-$100,000 for new hybrid technology purchases. This is great news for fleets and gives truck manufacturers great incentive to license HHS’s technology.
This bill has not yet passed and we need your help getting it modified to include hydraulic hybrids in addition to electric hybrids, as well as retrofits in addition to new vehicles.
If you would like a fact sheet to send to your State representative or anyone who may be able to help get the wording changed in the bill please email Bonnie.
-------
Reasons to include Hydraulic Hybrids in State and Federal Incentives
-- Hydraulic hybrids offer the same or better benefits as electric hybrids
- Significant reduction in fuel use (40 to 80% savings in stop-and-go situations)
- Significant reduction in carbon emissions (up to 50% reductions in most environments)
-- There is no battery to dispose of at the end of its cycle life
-- Hydraulic hybrids can be certified by the EPA in the same way as electric hybrids
-- Hydraulic hybrids are safer than electric hybrids
- No specialized hazard training is necessary to work on hydraulics
- Hydraulic components are not likely to explode or catch fire
-- Hydraulic hybrid components are readily available unlike electric hybrids which are constrained by supply availability
-- Hydraulic hybrid components and systems are generally made in the U.S. unlike electric hybrids that are generally built with imported batteries that comprise the majority of the cost
Reasons to include Retrofits in State and Federal Incentives
-- Retrofits extend the life and increase the value of an existing vehicle
-- Hydraulic hybrid retrofits offer the same or better benefits as new hybrid vehicles
- Significant reduction in fuel use (40 to 80% savings in stop-and-go situations)
- Significant reduction in carbon emissions (up to 50% reductions in most environments)
-- Retrofits can be certified by the EPA in the same way as new hybrid vehicles
Showing posts with label hydraulic hybrid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hydraulic hybrid. Show all posts
Monday, January 4, 2010
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Hydraulic Hybrid Prototyping
After testing our first hydraulic hybrid prototype on the LH4 last summer we moved on to creating a prototype on a 2004 Chevy 2500HD in the fall.
We had a truck on loan from the Denver International Airport fleet for the pilot project. It was complete in November and we tested it for a few weeks and that process spurred the major modifications to our Power Transfer Module (see the last post). Unfortunately the transmission on the 2004 truck was not a good candidate for the prototype so we returned the truck to DIA without the hydraulic hybrid system on it with the understanding that we will retrofit a newer truck for them after our next prototype is complete.Currently we are applying the new tank system
and updated PTM to a Chevy Silverado 2500HD. (Detail on right.) The system was applied and has since been removed for modifications and in order to get some baseline performance numbers on the truck. The truck will be complete in mid-February and will debut at the State of Colorado’s Governor’s Energy Office Environmental and Transportation Fair on February 24th. From there we will take it to the international Work Truck Show and Green Truck Summit in St. Louis in early March. We are excited to show it off and will keep you posted regarding these opportunities.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Lightning Hybrids and HHS to Apply for Patents
During the prototype process with the 2002 Chevy truck from Denver International Airport, our engineering team made some major modifications to our hydraulic hybrid system design. These revisions are significant and we are working to patent the following innovations:
1. Power Transfer Module. Our PTM replaces the vehicle’s torque converter. Since it replaces an existing part, no modifications are required for the drivetrain (such as driveshaft changes, transmission change-outs, etc.) which significantly reduces the cost and increases vehicle efficiency since the torque converter is a major source of inefficiency in stop-and-go driving.
2. Dual Tank System. HHS has designed a two-in-one system with proprietary valves that reduces connections and hoses by surrounding a carbon fiber high pressure accumulator with an aluminum low pressure reservoir. The design reduces connections and hoses, a significant benefit when dealing with 5,000 PSI. Standard steel accumulators weigh over 500 pounds, the carbon fiber tank weighs in under 150 pounds, another way to increase system efficiency. No one else has a certified carbon fiber accumulator and Eaton has signed an NDA to explore using ours in their system.
3. Controls System. The HHS controls system is proprietary and is unique because we are tying into the On-Board Diagnostics of the vehicle to which the system is applied which allows us to achieve ten percent better fuel mileage improvements when used in conjunction with our PTM.
4. Hydraulic System. The hydraulic system is uniquely configured to utilize a standard and proven variable displacement pump in conjunction with a specially-designed valve manifold and uniquely configured high and low pressure tank system.
1. Power Transfer Module. Our PTM replaces the vehicle’s torque converter. Since it replaces an existing part, no modifications are required for the drivetrain (such as driveshaft changes, transmission change-outs, etc.) which significantly reduces the cost and increases vehicle efficiency since the torque converter is a major source of inefficiency in stop-and-go driving.
2. Dual Tank System. HHS has designed a two-in-one system with proprietary valves that reduces connections and hoses by surrounding a carbon fiber high pressure accumulator with an aluminum low pressure reservoir. The design reduces connections and hoses, a significant benefit when dealing with 5,000 PSI. Standard steel accumulators weigh over 500 pounds, the carbon fiber tank weighs in under 150 pounds, another way to increase system efficiency. No one else has a certified carbon fiber accumulator and Eaton has signed an NDA to explore using ours in their system.
3. Controls System. The HHS controls system is proprietary and is unique because we are tying into the On-Board Diagnostics of the vehicle to which the system is applied which allows us to achieve ten percent better fuel mileage improvements when used in conjunction with our PTM.
4. Hydraulic System. The hydraulic system is uniquely configured to utilize a standard and proven variable displacement pump in conjunction with a specially-designed valve manifold and uniquely configured high and low pressure tank system.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Q&A: Doubling Prius' Gas Mileage
We frequently get questions about different aspects of LHI. I will be posting some of them here in the hopes that readers will find the info interesting or helpful.
Q. I don’t know what to say when somebody makes impossible claims about their new product. This design seems similar to a Prius, except that the hydraulic system will store much less energy than the battery in an electric hybrid. How could this possibly double the mileage of the Prius? The hydraulic hybrid system is well-known. It is fine for delivery trucks, but offers few benefits for a general-purpose car.
A. The hydraulic system has the benefit of storing energy at a much faster rate than the electric hybrid. It is true that the electric hybrid system can store a larger amount of energy, but that energy is also not free because of the fact that the electric system cannot recover the full amount of energy in even a normal driving cycle stop. The Prius often runs the gas engine in order to maintain energy levels in the batteries. In terms of energy density the two systems may be comparable but in terms of storage rate and efficiency the hydraulic system has an advantage. This coupled with the fact that a turbo diesel engine is about twice as efficient as the gasoline engine in the prius and the body design of LH4 improves the already excellent drag characteristics of the Prius with a lighter chasis and body substantiates our claim of doubling the efficiency of the Prius.
Q. I don’t know what to say when somebody makes impossible claims about their new product. This design seems similar to a Prius, except that the hydraulic system will store much less energy than the battery in an electric hybrid. How could this possibly double the mileage of the Prius? The hydraulic hybrid system is well-known. It is fine for delivery trucks, but offers few benefits for a general-purpose car.
A. The hydraulic system has the benefit of storing energy at a much faster rate than the electric hybrid. It is true that the electric hybrid system can store a larger amount of energy, but that energy is also not free because of the fact that the electric system cannot recover the full amount of energy in even a normal driving cycle stop. The Prius often runs the gas engine in order to maintain energy levels in the batteries. In terms of energy density the two systems may be comparable but in terms of storage rate and efficiency the hydraulic system has an advantage. This coupled with the fact that a turbo diesel engine is about twice as efficient as the gasoline engine in the prius and the body design of LH4 improves the already excellent drag characteristics of the Prius with a lighter chasis and body substantiates our claim of doubling the efficiency of the Prius.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Fleet Retrofit Pilot Project
Dan with the truck from DIA Yesterday we received the first truck for our fleet retrofit project. It is a Chevy 2500 four-wheel drive powered by compressed natural gas. It is from the Denver International Airport ground fleet.
As soon it arrived Dan and the team were under the hood and checking out the drivetrain to see where there would be room for the hydraulics and tanks. There is ample room under the truck.
We are excited to work with the natural gas vehicle and will get a gasoline powered truck in soon as well so we can get some good baselines and apply the hydraulics. The truck will be in the shop for about 45 days before it is put on the road and in the CSU engines lab for testing for a few weeks. It should be back on the runway at DIA by October 1.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Q&A: Leaks in the Hydraulic System
We frequently get questions about different aspects of LHI. I will be posting some of them here in the hopes that readers will find the info interesting or helpful.
Q: Fantastic concept. What about oil leaks from the hydraulic systems and the resulting fire hazards? I have seen industrial hydraulic systems that, over time, tend to get leaky.
A: Certain types of seals work better than others. If you are clever enough in how you design your manifold you can eliminate most of the hoses or piping in the plumbing. By sticking to mainly o-ring and mechanical seals in the few seals that you have you can largely eliminate leaks from the system.
In fact, you may remember that we had a leak in our hydraulic system minutes before our May 27 Open House. While it was messy, it was no more messy, or dangerous, than a standard oil leak.
Q: Fantastic concept. What about oil leaks from the hydraulic systems and the resulting fire hazards? I have seen industrial hydraulic systems that, over time, tend to get leaky.
A: Certain types of seals work better than others. If you are clever enough in how you design your manifold you can eliminate most of the hoses or piping in the plumbing. By sticking to mainly o-ring and mechanical seals in the few seals that you have you can largely eliminate leaks from the system.
In fact, you may remember that we had a leak in our hydraulic system minutes before our May 27 Open House. While it was messy, it was no more messy, or dangerous, than a standard oil leak.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Q&A: Pneumatic Hybrid
We frequently get questions about different aspects of LHI. I will be posting some of them here in the hopes that readers will find the info interesting or helpful.
Q: The actual energy storage is in the gas in the bladder of the hydraulic accumulator. Why not have a pneumatic hybrid? Way back in 1930, a diesel-pneumatic was more efficient than a diesel-electric, and air is cheap and easy to store.
A: The Hydraulic Hybrid in this configuration is essentially a pneumatic hybrid as mentioned. The energy is in fact stored by compressing air. The air that is compressed is nitrogen gas which is held in the accumulator bladder. The advantage of the hydraulic system is that you are pumping an incompressible fluid which allows you to achieve higher flow rates in a smaller package. A one hundred horsepower compressor that would allow you to compress and store enough energy to accelerate the vehicle from a stop would be half the size of the vehicle itself. Imagine an industrial air compressor. As I understand most pneumatic hybrid vehicles use a smaller compressor that runs continuously at a low power setting. The one hundred horsepower hydraulic pump occupies much less than a cubic foot of space and only weighs 45 pounds.
Q: The actual energy storage is in the gas in the bladder of the hydraulic accumulator. Why not have a pneumatic hybrid? Way back in 1930, a diesel-pneumatic was more efficient than a diesel-electric, and air is cheap and easy to store.
A: The Hydraulic Hybrid in this configuration is essentially a pneumatic hybrid as mentioned. The energy is in fact stored by compressing air. The air that is compressed is nitrogen gas which is held in the accumulator bladder. The advantage of the hydraulic system is that you are pumping an incompressible fluid which allows you to achieve higher flow rates in a smaller package. A one hundred horsepower compressor that would allow you to compress and store enough energy to accelerate the vehicle from a stop would be half the size of the vehicle itself. Imagine an industrial air compressor. As I understand most pneumatic hybrid vehicles use a smaller compressor that runs continuously at a low power setting. The one hundred horsepower hydraulic pump occupies much less than a cubic foot of space and only weighs 45 pounds.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Q&A: Hydraulic Hybrid Systems
We frequently get questions about different aspects of LHI. I will be posting some of them here in the hopes that readers will find the info interesting or helpful.
Q: I have a few vehicles that I want to continue driving so I'm interested retrofit kits. Is your company considering selling retrofit kits for existing vehicles?
A. Yes, we are focusing our work right now on retrofits as there is a large market for them. Unfortunately each vehicle platform requires a slightly different retrofit in terms of controls so we are starting with a few trucks (Chevy Silverado type) and possible a larger passenger car (Dodge Charger) that are used in many fleets. We hope to have a broad spectrum of retrofits within a year.
Q. If retrofit kits are made available do the vehicles have to be rear wheel drive and will the gas economy improve?
A: The EPA's tests on hydraulic hybrid technology show a 40 to 60% improvement in fuel economy which comes from using the hydraulics for acceleration and stopping, where the internal combustion engine loses the most efficiency. The cars do not have to be rear-wheel drive as we can apply the retrofit to any vehicle differential(s). There is more info on our hydraulic hybrid system here. (Check the hydraulic hybrid links for a written description of the retrofit, a diagram, and information about fuel savings and return on investment.)
Q: I have a few vehicles that I want to continue driving so I'm interested retrofit kits. Is your company considering selling retrofit kits for existing vehicles?
A. Yes, we are focusing our work right now on retrofits as there is a large market for them. Unfortunately each vehicle platform requires a slightly different retrofit in terms of controls so we are starting with a few trucks (Chevy Silverado type) and possible a larger passenger car (Dodge Charger) that are used in many fleets. We hope to have a broad spectrum of retrofits within a year.
Q. If retrofit kits are made available do the vehicles have to be rear wheel drive and will the gas economy improve?
A: The EPA's tests on hydraulic hybrid technology show a 40 to 60% improvement in fuel economy which comes from using the hydraulics for acceleration and stopping, where the internal combustion engine loses the most efficiency. The cars do not have to be rear-wheel drive as we can apply the retrofit to any vehicle differential(s). There is more info on our hydraulic hybrid system here. (Check the hydraulic hybrid links for a written description of the retrofit, a diagram, and information about fuel savings and return on investment.)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Open House
Last week was a busy one focused around our large public open house. Along with Friday's open house we also hosted a a smaller event for fleet managers on Wednesday. It was a stressful time for our team, with the pressure to show a working hydraulic hybrid system and the LH4 with a functioning door looming over us.
Wednesday went well with over 25 area fleet managers and car dealers coming in to take a look at the hydraulic hybrid system and to talk about the retrofit that we will have available for fleets in the Fall. (We will post more about that later this week.)
Friday dawned clear and sunny and all was looking good with the car. The door was opening, the hydraulics were functioning, the car was running. Around 2 p.m. a huge thunderstorm hit the area with strong winds and torrential rain. And yes, some spectacular lightning.
At the same time, the LH4 clamshell door started malfunctioning. Then we blew a hose in the hydraulic system which drained it, making it inoperable.* You can imagine, the tension in the garage was very high.
As 4:30 drew nearer, the sky cleared, and we came to grips with the fact that the car was going to stay in the garage for the open house. (Sorry Mayor Pielin - we'll take you for a ride soon!)
We braced ourselves for the crowd at the door at 4:30 and were pleasantly surprised with the support and understanding of our guests. Over the course of the evening we showed about 350 of our fellow Lovelanders, and others from as far away as Minnesota, our shop and the temporarily docked LH4.
*If you're wondering what happens when you blow a hose in the hydraulic system, the answer is: nothing dramatic, just a big puddle of hydraulic fluid... Unfortunately our technician, Chris, happened to be under the car at that moment. His hair really glistened after that.
Wednesday went well with over 25 area fleet managers and car dealers coming in to take a look at the hydraulic hybrid system and to talk about the retrofit that we will have available for fleets in the Fall. (We will post more about that later this week.)
Friday dawned clear and sunny and all was looking good with the car. The door was opening, the hydraulics were functioning, the car was running. Around 2 p.m. a huge thunderstorm hit the area with strong winds and torrential rain. And yes, some spectacular lightning.
At the same time, the LH4 clamshell door started malfunctioning. Then we blew a hose in the hydraulic system which drained it, making it inoperable.* You can imagine, the tension in the garage was very high.
As 4:30 drew nearer, the sky cleared, and we came to grips with the fact that the car was going to stay in the garage for the open house. (Sorry Mayor Pielin - we'll take you for a ride soon!)
We braced ourselves for the crowd at the door at 4:30 and were pleasantly surprised with the support and understanding of our guests. Over the course of the evening we showed about 350 of our fellow Lovelanders, and others from as far away as Minnesota, our shop and the temporarily docked LH4.
Tim Reeser, Lightning Hybrids Co-Founder (center, gray shirt), talks to the open house crowd. The LH4 is on the left with the clamshell door open. (Photo courtesy Jeff Barr.)
Thank you to everyone who came out! Your enthusiastic show of support and your thoughtful comments and suggestions were just what we needed at the end of long week.
For links to recent articles click here.
*If you're wondering what happens when you blow a hose in the hydraulic system, the answer is: nothing dramatic, just a big puddle of hydraulic fluid... Unfortunately our technician, Chris, happened to be under the car at that moment. His hair really glistened after that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)