Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) is delivering 40 hydraulic hybrid power walk-in vans to UPS.
Developed in partnership with Parker Hannifin Corporation, FCCC hydraulic hybrid vehicles (HHVs) use hydraulic high pressure to propel the vehicle with the engine off, reducing fuel consumption by up to 40 percent.
Georgia-based UPS will deploy 20 of the HHVs in the Baltimore area and 20 in the Atlanta area. Both deployments are in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program.
“We are excited about this technology and UPS’s decision to make it part of their fleet,” said Mike Stark, FCCC senior technical sales manager, national accounts. “In terms of fuel economy, range and performance, the HHV is ideal for challenging pickup and delivery routes like those served by UPS. It supports the levels of productivity and profitability that fleets have come to expect from walk-in vans built on FCCC chassis.”
The HHV uses energy stored in its hydraulic high-pressure accumulator to propel the vehicle with zero fuel consumption and zero emissions. Continued stop-and-go operation of the vehicle recharges the hydraulic system. The diesel engine engages only when the hydraulic pressure drops below the threshold needed for operation.
This constant cycling allows the HHV to achieve a significant fuel economy improvement over traditional diesel-powered vehicles that use automatic transmissions in stop-and-go applications.
In addition to powering the vehicle engine, the hydraulic system also starts the engine, eliminating the need for a 12-volt starter. The system powers the HHV’s brakes and steering components as well, thus eliminating the need for the engine to support these vehicle functions.
