More than 35 new transport vans will hit the road later this year, using hybrid hydraulic drives to cut fuel consumption and emissions up to 30%, as well as extend brake life and reduce maintenance costs.
Technology behind the benefits
The Lightning Hybrids system does not use any batteries. Instead, it safely and efficiently stores energy mechanically in composite hydraulic accumulators, which are a fraction of the cost and weight of batteries. The system can be installed on new vehicles or retrofitted on vehicles already in service.
Reeser explained, “Hydraulic hybrids, like all hybrid drivetrains, use regenerative braking, which saves energy from stopping the vehicle and uses it to move the vehicle forward. So a start-stop drive cycle is necessary to see gains from using a hybrid. For the Lighting Hybrids hydraulic system the ‘sweet spot’ in terms of efficiency is six to eight stops a mile, whether planned or due to traffic. This gives enough speed between each stop to save enough energy to accelerate the vehicle to the next stop.”
Launching the hybrid fleet
Kiessling Transit purchased a pilot vehicle equipped with the hybrid system through Lightning Hybrids’ Boston-based dealer, National Fleet Hybrids, in 2013. The pilot vehicle’s fuel consumption was closely monitored during the pilot program. The results, logged through Lightning Hybrids’ telematics systems and confirmed through Kiessling’s fuel logs, revealed a significant improvement in fuel economy and emissions. Driver feedback also confirmed vehicle performance benefits. Kiessling Transit will use the hybrid vehicles to transport primarily urban- area residents with disabilities.
Kiessling Transit Inc has been providing special needs transportation to the Massachusetts community since 1970. The company currently contracts with regional transit authorities, state agencies, and local municipalities to transport passengers throughout Massachusetts. Daily trips to and from residences, work sites, schools, medical appointments, and social events are provided for ambulatory and non-ambulatory customers with a wide range of disabilities.
When put in service, the buses will provide an immediate positive impact on the environment due to the reduced emissions of the system. For example, vehicles with Lightning Hybrids’ technology produce half of the NOx emissions and 30% less CO2 emissions than vehicles without the company’s system. In addition to these emissions reductions, the Kiessling fleet will benefit from decreased fuel use, longer brake life, better low-end torque, and lower maintenance and operational costs.
“We are pleased with the results of the pilot program, which proved a fuel economy gain of around 30% all year, and we look forward to seeing the positive results continue on a much larger scale,” said Roger Kiessling, chief operations officer, Kiessling Transit. “Our company is focused on providing the most efficient, reliable, environmentally friendly transportation to the areas we serve, and the Lightning Hybrids system supports this goal.”
For more information, visit Lightning Hybrids at www.lightninghybrids.com, or Kiessling Transport’s website at www.kiesslingtransit.com.
