Hyliion truck hybrid drive: trucks under power

H hybrid drives in trucks are still, apart from individual 'lighthouse projects' Future music. The technology, which is now widely used and proven in passenger cars, in which an electric drive supports the conventional combustion engine, has not yet been pursued on a large scale in the field of commercial vehicle development. A US start-up company would like to change this by offering a technology with which practically every semitrailer can be converted into a hybrid truck.

Hybrid drive for trailers

Included follows the company Hyliion - an abbreviation for Hy brid - Li thium- Ion en - an interesting approach. Because with the Hyliion system, it is not the truck itself, but the trailer that is electrified. For this purpose, a complete module consisting of drive axles and traction batteries is inserted instead of the rear axles installed on semi-trailers. In this way, thanks to the standardized dimensions, the hybrid system should be able to be installed in practically every US trailer, Hyliion puts the number of compatible trailers at around six million.

The control electronics of the Hyliion system work independently and without any influence of the driver, it does not have to be networked with the control electronics of the towing vehicle. The way it works is relatively simple: the drive unit recovers electricity for the drive battery on inclines and supplies the electric motors of the trailer drive axles on inclines. A practical side effect of this is the relief of the vehicle brakes on inclines, as the recuperation develops appropriate braking forces.

Up to 30 percent more economical

The system is of course particularly useful on frequently changing inclines and Slopes, while it can also show no effect on a straight stretch. Nevertheless, Hyliion reckons with a possible fuel saving of up to 30 percent. Based on this, according to the company's somewhat optimistic calculation, money should be “earned” immediately after the installation of the hybrid system. Because the Hyliion hybrid system is offered on the basis of a five-year purchase lease, with the monthly leasing rate being 500 dollars. At the same time, according to the example calculation, up to $ 1,300 per month in fuel and part of the wear and tear costs could be saved.