A hydraulic hybrid technology lets trucks burn a third less fuel than they normally would.A new kind of hybrid technology for heavy-duty vehicles uses hydraulics, rather than batteries, to store energy. Trucks using the system promise to be 30 percent more fuel-efficient than conventional vehicles. The system could also cost less than similarly performing hybrid technology that requires batteries.
The city of Ann Arbor, MI, which is rolling out four garbage trucks that use the technology, is among the first in North America to use such trucks. It was also among the first to receive funding for them through the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program, which is intended to help local governments reduce fuel consumption. The technology could help cities and trucking companies meet the new fuel-economy regulations for heavy-duty vehicles that are now being drafted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Technology Review: Garbage Trucks Go Green
Author: Julie Halpert
