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For most of the century, the main concern of transport planners
and policy makers was the “supply” of transportation,
specifically in ensuring that the supporting infrastructure was
going to be adequate. It was the supply and efficient operation
of vehicles that got attention. Analysts claim most cities overbuilt
their physical transportation infrastructures, leading to unsustainable
levels of traffic. As a result, the sustainable transportation
movement has gradually been gaining in force. However, the movement
is still in a minority.
Actual expenditures in the urban transport sector are determined
by criteria other than sustainability. But, gradually, there has
been a shift in public spending away from building and supply,
to management and demand. The values of heightened respect for
the environment and prudent use of natural resources have become
increasingly central.
The Benefits Of Clean Diesel Technology
Green Diesel Technology® vehicles developed by International
Truck and Engine Corp. and IC Corporation, International’s
wholly-owned affiliate, are the wave of the future. Through the
use and development of new clean technologies, the diesel industry
is expected to cross a historic milestone in 2007; one that will
put diesel on par with some of the most advanced, clean and energy-saving
solutions of the future. In January, U.S. truck and engine manufacturers
will begin producing the most advanced, clean technology ever produced
for heavy-duty trucks and buses. Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD)
fuel will play a leading role in helping cities and states meet
strict new air quality goals set by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
The EPA’s rules for heavy-duty engines mandate a 90 percent
reduction in particulate matter (PM) emissions from today’s
standards, and a 95 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx).
The guidelines also require reductions in emissions of hydrocarbons
(HC). While NOx standards and HC standards will be phased in between
2007 and 2010, it is feasible to retrofit recent model diesel vehicles
with filters to reduce PM. Factors that affect retrofitting include
geographic location, duty cycle and engine type. International
is examining the best way to provide retrofit options to its customers.
The development of the hydraulic hybrid is the result of a partnership
between the EPA, U.S. Army, United Parcel Service (UPS), International
and Eaton Corporation. UPS is the world’s largest package-delivery
company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering
an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of
goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves
more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The EPA and
UPS plan to evaluate the vehicle’s fuel economy performance
and emissions during a series of tests in 2006. In laboratory testing,
the EPA’s patented hydraulic hybrid diesel technology achieved
a 60- to 70-percent improvement in fuel economy, and more than
a 40-percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, compared to
a conventional UPS vehicle.
Compared to gasoline or natural gas, diesel fuel is safe, stable
and easy to use, and requires no special handling or storage. Since
natural gas is highly flammable, the possibility of fires and explosions
is always present, so it must be stored and handled extremely carefully.
Sound science is needed to make rational judgments. International
is a leading supporter of scientific research, working with the
EPA, the Health Effects Institute and others. “The hydraulic
hybrid technology is quite promising, and we’re eager to
see how the vehicle performs in a real-world setting,” said
John Beystehner, chief operating officer of UPS.
“
We have led our industry in testing alternative-fuel vehicles because
fuel conservation is critical to our business,” Beystehner
said. “We believe the impact of this initiative will go far
beyond our industry.”
UPS will test the hydraulic hybrid for the next several months.
It will be used on a city route in the Detroit area, making daily
deliveries to homes and businesses. Previously, UPS partnered with
the EPA on its hydrogen fuel cell delivery vehicles, which have
been part of the company’s fleet since 2003. “The diesel
hydraulic hybrid concept has the potential to offer our truck customers
something very unique—performance and near-zero emissions
with dramatic improvements in fuel economy,” said Dee Kapur,
International president, Truck Group. “International is pleased
to be a part of the integration of this technology into the entire
vehicle system to provide true value to our customers.”
“
EPA and our partners are not just delivering packages with this
UPS truck—we are delivering environmental benefits to the
American people,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “President
Bush is moving technology breakthroughs from the labs to the streets.
We are doing what is good for our environment, good for our economy,
and good for our nation’s energy security.”
Laboratory tests show that the technology has the potential to
dramatically improve the fuel economy of urban vehicles used in
applications such as package delivery, shuttle and transit buses,
and refuse pick-up. When manufactured in high volume, the added
costs of the hybrid components could be recouped in less than three
years through lower fuel and brake maintenance costs. In the hydraulic
hybrid diesel series, a high-efficiency diesel engine is combined
with a unique hydraulic propulsion system, replacing the conventional
drive train and transmission. Fuel economy is increased in three
ways: vehicle braking energy is recovered that normally is wasted;
the engine is operated more efficiently; and the engine can be
shut off when stopped or decelerating.
In a similar move, International, a Navistar company, will supply
Ford Motor Co. with a new 6.4-liter Ford Power Stroke Diesel engine
for the 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty. The new Power Stroke diesel
engine will displace 6.4-liters, which is an increase in displacement
from the current 6.0-liter V-8. It will be the first pickup engine
in North America to use a high-precision, high-pressure, common-rail
fuel injection system featuring piezo-electric injectors.
International invested more than $100 million in new machinery
and other equipment at its manufacturing facilities in Indianapolis,
Ind., and Huntsville, Ala., to manufacture the new Power Stroke
diesel. Ford’s F-Series Super Duty trucks, powered by the
Power Stroke diesel, are the most popular vehicle in their class,
averaging 50-percent market share in the heavy-duty pickup truck
segment during the past five years. |
