Caterpillar Inc. recently performed productivity tests on its new hydraulic hybrid excavator, the 336E-H with contractor, Kiewit Corporation, at the site of the regional transportation system (BART) extension near Fremont, California.  Kiewit is building BART’s Warm Springs extension which will bring the system further south toward San Jose. The development and evaluation of this machine is part of the California Energy Commission’s Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Demonstration Program which is being administered by CALSTART.  

Kiewit has been using the 336E-H hybrid excavator for the past several months at the site to do regular earthmoving tasks.  For the productivity tests the crews brought in a conventional Cat 336E as a control machine and collected copious amounts of performance data.  The crew worked on a long, 15-foot high hill, excavating it down to grade and then loading dirt on to a long line of trucks, which took the excavated material away from the site.  The 336E was used in the morning and the 336E-H was used in the afternoon.  The same operator worked both machines.  Caterpillar brought in portable scales and each truck was weighed as it left the site.  They measured fuel use and also timed each dig/load operation which was divided between scooping and dumping components.  They also measured the density of the soil as they moved along the hill in order to maintain consistent calculations.

Overall, the data for the hybrid machine met or exceeded expectations. Fuel consumption (gallons per hour) was lower with the hybrid machine and fuel efficiency (tons of dirt moved per gallon of fuel) was better than the conventional machine.  The actual test results were better than Caterpillar’s marketing literature which indicates that the 336E H fuel consumption will be up to 25% less than the standard 336E.   Essentially, the hybrid excavator is performing as advertised.  Productivity (the amount of dirt moved by the machine per hour) was slightly better, with the hybrid completing its tasks slightly faster.  

CALSTART’s Steve Sokolsky observed the work, and spoke a bit with the operator. The operator was impressed with the performance of the 336E-H and felt that certain operations were smoother and quicker with others having a slightly different feel.  He also said that the noise factor was different, because the engine is running at a lower rpm on the hybrid (1500 vs. 1800) the engine noise is lower so he can now hear the pumps more.  Observing from the outside, the hybrid seemed substantially quieter to Sokolsky.  Overall the operator felt the hybrid offers a nicer environment inside the cab.  The machine operations are identical and he did not need any additional training before using the hybrid, which construction crews will likely appreciate.

Finally, Caterpillar’s local maintenance rep reported no maintenance issues at all with the hybrid system and uptime has been identical.  The Caterpillar crew was very happy with the tests (they’re collecting a bit more data in further tests at the BART station). 

Check out Caterpillar’s video about the excavators in use at the transit station, and photos of the day CALSTART's Steve Sokolsky spent with the crew:

 

 

Session 3 at NAFA 2013

Smart Alt Fuel and Tech Choice Workshop – Making it Work for You
Thursday, April 25 3:30 – 5:00 pm
As your fleet implements sustainability and fleet greening plans, how do you make the best choice of fuel or technology that first your operation, geography and vehicle mix? New tools are becoming available for fleets that allow you to assess performance and payback in your operation, for the kinds of vehicles you use. This session will not only review these Value Calculators, but provide a hands-on training opportunity and an interactive workshop to share the additional functionality you need.

Session 2 at NAFA 2013

Myths, Facts and Misperceptions – The Straight Scoop on New Fuels and Tech
Thursday, April 25 10:00 – 11:30 am

There is an old saying that says it’s not always what we don’t know that can hurt us: it’s what we don’t know that’s just plain wrong that is really crippling!  Nowhere is this more apt than when it comes to some of the myths and misperceptions around advanced vehicles, like hybrid and electric technologies, and fuels such as natural gas, propane and others.  How long does a battery last? What does it cost to replace?  What costs more, a natural gas engine or its storage tanks?  These are examples of some of the questions that can cripple your business case – and damage your decisions – if you operate from the wrong data.

From NAFA

Session 1 at NAFA, presented by Bill Van Amburg, April 24, 2013
Alternative Fuels and High-Efficiency Vehicles – Update for Fleets
Wednesday, April 24 10:15 – 11:45 am

The landscape of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles is rapidly changing, capabilities are improving and it is hard for fleets to keep up.  This session provided a valuable 10-thousand foot overview of the latest products available today, the technology emerging in the near term and what these technologies and fuels can mean to fleet operations.  This was a valuable session both for fleets just trying to get up to speed on this arena, and as an update for fleets already active but wanting to stay current. 

Background

During the 2013 I&E, CALSTART hosted a specific education and training track featuring several value-add sessions for fleets looking at getting the latest information about advanced fuels and vehicles, and how to make them work for their operations. CALSTART is a fuel-neutral non-profit association that have a tremendous amount of expertise and insight on the many and various alt fuels suppliers in the world.
All sessions were developed by CALSTART and featured their speakers and experts.
Sessions included:

•     An up-to-the-minute status report on available high efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles and technologies to keep fleets current
•     A workshop highlighting and correcting the most common myths and misperceptions about advanced and alternative fuel vehicles
•     A session on how to decide what solutions work best for a fleet’s unique operation, including using decision tools like Fleet Value Calculators
•     A hands-on session about how to plan for a sustainable or green fleet, including case studies and making the case to the corner office.

It Takes an Industry: Working Together to Accelerate the High-Efficiency Truck Market

When:        Wednesday, February 20, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Pacific time

Where:        Old Pasadena Courtyard by Marriott, 180 North Fair Oaks Avenue Pasadena, CA

Audience:    Fleet managers, OEMs, Suppliers, and industry stakeholders interested in realizing increased adoption of high-efficiency technologies in the commercial truck market, and those with an interest in implementing advanced technologies into military vehicles.

Description:    The “new” HTUF will bring CALSTART’s proven fleet-driven industry commercialization model to relevant and timely cross-cutting issues such as OBD (on-board diagnostics), real-world life-cycle cost,  value calculators, fleet deployment best practices, “selling clean-tech to the corner office”, developing more robust sales forecast tools, expanding incentive programs nationwide, and meeting the information needs of fleet managers. HTUF will solicit and prioritize potential CTAG projects (with MTAG projects to be defined during a subsequent meeting at a later date), fully defining the membership and roles of the Action Group.  This meeting will be held in conjunction with a half-day workshop on OBD (on-board diagnostics) that will be held at the California Air Resources Board’s El Monte, CA field office.

Cost:    $100 (includes breaks and lunch).

Click here to register, or go to http://bit.ly/UB7jsZ

Workshop: Clarifying Hybrid OBD Requirements for California 

When: Tuesday, February 19, beginning at 1:00 p.m
Where: CARB Field Office 9480 Telstar Avenue,  El Monte, CA, (12 miles from Pasadena)
Audience: Fleet managers, OEMs, Suppliers, and industry stakeholders
Description: CALSTART and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will conduct a workshop Clarifying Hybrid OBD Requirements for California.

Cost: There is no charge for this workshop but you do need to register. To register, contact Virginia Ochoa at 626-744-5668 or email your complete contact information to vochoa@calstart.org

Webinar:  HTUF 2013 New Directions

When:        Wednesday, January 30, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.  Eastern time
Audience:    Fleet managers, OEMs, Suppliers, and industry stakeholders interested in the new structure of the HTUF program and how it will achieve results for manufacturers and end-users.
Description:    This webinar provides an overview of the new core activities for the HTUF program, as well as opportunities for becoming involved in the CTAG and MTAG.

Cost:    No charge. Click here to sign up, or go to http://bit.ly/VWbenU

Check out Duke Energy's recent blog post about plug-in utility vehicles. Working with HTUF, Duke and other utilities have found great success in testing clean vehicles for use in their fleets.

"Being involved with HTUF and several vehicle manufacturers across the country, Duke Energy better understands how new technology vehicles fit our fleet’s needs and also helps shape products in the best interests of the commercial transportation market."

CALSTART member Caterpillar, Inc. unveiled the construction equipment industry’s first hydraulic hybrid excavator on October 16th. The Cat 336E-LH is a 30-ton machine that recaptures and reuses energy in the swing system through sophisticated hydraulic accumulators and advanced controls. The 336E-LH uses about 25% less fuel than the advanced 336E machine and is 50% more efficient than the conventional 336D excavator.  In high-production applications operators of the 336E-LH can realize paybacks in about one year. The 336E-LH will be ready for delivery to customers in Spring 2013.

This product is one component of CALSTART’s California Clean Truck Demonstration Program that is being administered on behalf of the California Energy Commission. Nine separate hybrid and electric truck demonstration projects are included in the program. In early 2012 CALSTART was awarded funds to administer the program for its technology partners, including Caterpillar.

In this project, the 336E-LH is being demonstrated with two large California construction contractors in regular road-building operations and data will be collected on performance, serviceability, and emissions. Check out more pictures below.

 

 

During the HTUF 2012 conference, HTUF unveiled a Project Definition Document defining the process and requirements that the working group has developed to pursue the test and evaluation of this class of newly developed hybrid trucks. In this document, this group of major truck fleet operators has jointly selected the platform size best suited for a hybrid Class 8b truck tractor for regional delivery and drayage operations, developed common vehicle performance specifications and prioritized their key performance parameters.

Download the HTUF Class 8 Regional Delivery Working Group Project Definition Document.

Furthermore, in 2011 and 2012, HTUF instrumented 6 class 8 truck tractors that were carefully selected among 4 private and for-hire fleets operating across North America. Using data loggers connected to the vehicles CAN bus, more than 61,000 miles and over 1,700 hours of engine operation were recorded and analyzed. In addition to time and vehicle speed, several other parameters such as mileage, engine torque, time spent at idle and fuel consumption were collected at a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. Using this data, two drive cycles were developed to characterize regional delivery operation.

 

 

This information is being disseminated to the truck manufacturing industry and their suppliers to determine the viability of providing hybrid Class 8b truck tractors to fleets under rental agreements to test candidate vehicles and validate performance in various fleet operations.

 

 

 

It is the working group’s intent to assess the performance of hybrid Class 8b truck tractors in typical fleet service. These vehicles will be developmental or pre-production trucks with full functionality, but with final production features and quality yet to be incorporated. A rental agent will be used to assist in gathering data and moving vehicles from fleet to fleet, as necessary. If the vehicles meet the performance requirements agreed to, and if hybrid system costs show that a business case can be made on total cost of ownership, it is the intent of the working group fleets to consider purchasing hybrid trucks as part of their standard replacement cycle.

 

 

 

 

 

  A full day's agenda ahead for more than 400 gathered in Charlotte for HTUF's 12th annual conference, expo and ride and drive.

 

 

For Immediate Release: September 17, 2012
Contact: Mary Kathryn Campbell, 626/744-5602, mkcampbell@calstart.org
        

Industry Leader Kevin Beaty Joins CALSTART as Vice President

PASADENA, Calif. – CALSTART announced today that Kevin Beaty is joining its team as a Vice President and Director of its highly successful high-efficiency truck program.

“With his private sector background and knowledge of the clean fuel and advanced drivetrain commercial vehicle markets, Kevin will be a great addition to our team.  He brings new skills and talents that will help us accelerate the growth of the high-efficiency truck market,” said John Boesel, CALSTART President and CEO.

Mr. Beaty will lead CALSTART’s High-Efficiency Truck Users Forum (HTUF) and will be on hand at the influential group’s yearly national meeting scheduled for September 18-20 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Registration for the event is open on-site, and the agenda and other details are online at www.htuf2012.org. HTUF is widely credited with accelerating the commercial market adoption of hybrid electric trucks and buses by two years.
Prior to joining CALSTART, Kevin Beaty has been well known for his work at Eaton Corporation. He joined Eaton as Business Unit Manager - Hybrid Electric Powertrains in March 2000. There, he built a new team focused on developing and bringing the next generation of commercial truck drivetrain technology and products to market. He most recently served as the Senior Global Product Manager of Eaton’s Hybrid portfolio. His responsibilities included leading the development and implementation of the overall global product and sourcing strategy, program management, and strategic OEM and partner relationships.

Mr. Beaty summarizes his enthusiasm for joining CALSTART by stating, “CALSTART is uniquely positioned to partner with industry and government to help drive this market forward by focusing on an integrated approach to technology development and deployment, commercialization, policy and education.  I am excited to have an opportunity to contribute to CALSTART’s mission and to help advance the entire high-efficiency truck market.”  
Beaty will be based in a new CALSTART Midwest office in Michigan.

Richard Parish, the former director of the HTUF program, will remain with the organization but begin a role as a part-time employee.  “Richard did a very solid job managing the program and supporting the growth of the industry.  We are pleased that Richard will continue to be part of the team, and, at his request, working fewer hours and being able to spend more time enjoying his family and other interests,” said Boesel.

About HTUF
HTUF is the nation’s leading program driving production and use of medium- and heavy-duty high-efficiency trucks and buses. HTUF is a national program operated by CALSTART in partnership with and under contract to the US Army TARDEC National Automotive Center.

About CALSTART
CALSTART is a non-profit organization that is focused on energy security, clean air, and economic development by spurring the growth of clean transportation technology. CALSTART works nationally, and has offices in California and Colorado.  For more about CALSTART and its 150+ member companies, visit: www.calstart.org  and www.htuf2012.org

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September is fast approaching. Don't miss out on savings by registering early for HTUF 2012 in Charlotte, NC, September 18-20.

 

Newest Truck Technologies, Fleet Business Tools Part of Expanded HTUF Conference & Expo

The expanded Hybrid, Electric and Advanced Truck Users Forum (HTUF) National Conference and Expo 2012 will light up Charlotte, NC this September 18-20, 2012.  HTUF 2012 features the latest performance and business decision data on the newest truck technologies, fleet education and action sessions, as well as a taste of NASCAR!

Now in its 12th year, the HTUF program has grown from hybrids to driving the commercialization of electric and advanced, fuel saving technologies for trucks and buses.  Similarly, the conference has expanded from a small industry workshop to a full-scale conference highlighting the full range of advanced commercial and military technologies available in the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle marketplace.

But the key to HTUF remains U. That’s right, the Users. Fleets purchasing, driving and maintaining advanced vehicles are the true leaders when it comes to the advancement of clean, efficient technologies, and supporting the needs of end-users remains HTUF’s focus. HTUF 2011 saw a six percent increase in the number of fleets in attendance, and we are targeting more fleets to HTUF 2012 this September. Bringing together early mover fleets with the nation’s leading manufacturers and suppliers drives our strategy to speed market growth.

With the expansion of the HTUF program to include electric and other advanced technologies, HTUF 2012 will provide a one-stop shop for fleet managers looking to be on the forefront of decision tools, data and action to green their fleets and drive industry improvements. HTUF 2012 will feature a two-day, user-focused agenda, and over 50,000 sq. ft. of technology exhibits featuring a cross section of advanced tech, including electric, hybrid hydraulic, hybrid electric, CNG, LNG, propane and bio-fuels.
 
Attendees will also be treated to numerous networking opportunities and receptions, including a gala reception at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the HTUF Ride and Drive on a professional speedway track.

Thanks to our current sponsors and media partners: Alabama Power, Allison Transmission, BAE Systems, Duke Energy, Freightliner, Hino, Southern Company, Coca-Cola, Eaton, Emerald Automotive, Phoenix International, Siemens, Fleets and Fuels Showtimes, Fleet Owner, Fleet Maintenance, Utility Fleet Professional, Waste Advantage and Green Biz.

Register today at www.htuf2012.org. Sponsorship and Exhibit opportunities are available. For sponsorship, contact Kimberly Taylor at ktaylor@calstart.org. For exhibits, contact Megan Maguire (mmaguire@calstart.org) or Jackie Lanning (jlanning@calstart.org). 

 

Did you miss the HTUF Ride and Drive in Baltimore? Catch up with this exciting event video. Interested in getting involved this year?

Leading fleets depend on the HTUF Ride and Drive to check out the newest technologies on the market, and will be there again this year at HTUF 2012 in Charlotte. For more information, contact Megan Maguire at HTUF today.

Stop by & visit @calstart Booth 130 @GFX #advancedtrucks #cleantech twitter.com/AdvancedTrucks…

— HTUF.org (@AdvancedTrucks) June 19, 2012

For Immediate Release: June 15, 2012
Contact: Mary Kathryn Campbell, 626/744-5602, mkcampbell@calstart.org
        
•    Save September 18-20 for conference and hybrid and electric truck and bus Ride & Drive in Charlotte NC
•    Experts to discuss fuel and money-saving fleet strategies for commercial trucking and military
•    Roadmap to clean truck future to be unveiled
•    Early-bird registration now open for world’s largest hybrid and electric truck and bus event at www.htuf2012.org

PASADENA, Calif. – The world’s leading fleets and manufacturers will gather in Charlotte this September at the HTUF 2012 National Conference & Expo, CALSTART announced today. The Hybrid, Electric and Advanced Truck Users Forum Conference takes place September 18-20, 2012, at the Charlotte Convention Center and will focus on expanding commercial and military fleet knowledge of clean, fuel-saving trucks and buses now built in the United States, including advanced hybrid and electric vehicles. Registration for the event is now open at htuf2012.org.

“This year’s HTUF conference will offer specific, concrete pathways forward to a clean truck future, with the unveiling of a groundbreaking national roadmap,” said John Boesel, CALSTART CEO and President. He continued, “A clear path forward is critical for American energy security and economic stability, as our nation’s commercial fleets continue to be buffeted by fluctuating energy prices. It’s even more critical for our nation’s troops, as more efficient movement of soldiers and equipment is proven to save lives.”

Annually, the conference draws hundreds of attendees representing fleets, truck makers, technology leaders and military and government officials. Attendees are able to kick the tires of the world’s most advanced medium- and heavy-duty vehicles available today, take an active role in growing clean tech jobs, and reduce petroleum consumption in the United States.

Attendees will be treated to a taste of NASCAR with a gala reception at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the opportunity to drive these advanced vehicles on a professional speedway track at Charlotte’s zMax Dragstrip.

HTUF is the nation’s leading program driving production and use of medium- and heavy-duty hybrid and high-efficiency trucks and buses. It was founded by CALSTART and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center’s National Automotive Center and is operated by CALSTART under contract to the U.S. Army.

About CALSTART
HTUF is one of several national programs operated by CALSTART, North America’s leading clean transportation technologies and solutions consortium. CALSTART is the only organization working nationally to foster the rapid growth of the entire clean transportation technology industry. CALSTART serves as a catalyst for the comprehensive clean transportation industry as a way to create more jobs, clean the air, make the country more secure, and reduce the threat of global warming. CALSTART manages leading-edge technology programs while providing value-added services to its 150 member companies and consulting clients. For more information visit: www.calstart.org
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