Winners announced in low carbon truck challenge17 November 2010

LowCVP (the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership) has announced the winners of its HGV challenge, which aims to promote innovative low carbon technology for trucks.

Most of the winning technologies can be retrofitted, and all claim a reduction in CO2 emissions between eight and 25% – with winning ideas including: a combined gas- and petrol-fed powertrain; improved trailer design that cuts drag; optimised driver efficiency; and hybrid powertrains.

The six winners, chosen from a field of 21 hopefuls, were Hardstaff Group, SOMI Trailers, MIRA, Zeta Automotive, RDS Europe and joint winners Flybrid Systems and the Flybus Consortium.

By running 60 of its own vehicles on dual-fuel, Hardstaff was able to prove that, through the substitution of 70% diesel with natural gas, CO2 emissions can be cut by 18%.

Meanwhile, SOMI's 'Same Outside, More Inside' trailer conversions impressed the judges with their objective of saving CO2 emissions by replacing four truck journeys with just three.

Fuel savings of 15 and 20% were touted by MIRA, whose project was inspired by work with trailer manufacturer Lawrence David. In that study the two managed reductions in drag of 17%, but, through its latest efforts, MIRA managed 30%.

Then, Zeta Automotive's EconoSpeed, initially created for light vans, has now been developed for trucks, sitting between the accelerator and the engine's ECU to limit acceleration rate and mimic the behaviour of careful, economic drivers.

RDS fielded it hydraulically actuated parallel hybrid technology, tailored for the needs of 5 tonne-plus gvw trucks, and demonstrating up to 25% fuel savings for stop/start urban duty cycles.

And finally, Flybrid Systems and The Flybus Consortium took their places for high-speed flywheel based hybrid systems – the former originally for Formula One, but now road cars and soon heavy-duty trucks; the latter marrying engineering from variable drive specialist Torotrak, bus maker Optare, engineering consultancy Ricardo and transmission supplier Allison.

"LowCVP's HGV technology challenge shows the high capacity of UK engineers to develop innovative and effective solutions to help us tackle climate change," says Greg Archer, LowCVP's managing director.

"The challenge brings these great ideas to the attention of potential partners and customers, providing new market opportunities, and hastening the introduction of low carbon innovations in the HGV market that also reduce fuel costs," he adds.

Author
John Challen

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