Hydraulic Hybrid Systems - VCIR Technology Showcase

Lightning Hybrids Receives Larimer County Workforce Center Grant

Lightning Hybrids received a grant from the Larimer County Workforce Center (LCWC) to employ thirteen interns. These positions, paid by LCWC, will work for 400 to 500 hours each and will focus on projects ranging from mechanical engineering to updating our website.

For more information click here.

Major New Federal Incentives for Fleet Vehicles Likely

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.

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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

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.