Airforce Goes Hybrid

Thanks to Technology News Daily for the following:

 ”Heavy-duty vehicles are the greatest consumers of fuel and also the greatest polluters,” said Harvey Collier, program manager for heavy-duty hybrid electric program. “If we can get heavy-duty vehicles to reduce fuel consumption and reduce pollutants that will be a great accomplishment for the Air Force.”

Generally I’m skeptical of military side-projects, but this is one I am excited to see.

Along with the hybrid at Nellis AFB, the program will utilize five other heavy-duty hybrid vehicles. Two other vehicles have already been deployed to various bases throughout the Air Force. Shaw AFB, S.C., is home to an R-11 refueler and Hickam AFB, Hawaii, has a dump truck. In 2008, three additional hybrid trucks will be delivered to Edwards AFB, Calif., Nellis and Robins.

The truck scheduled to arrive at Robins will help collect data on the success of the vehicle in a real-time environment. The data collection will be done through an agreement with the City of Macon, Ga., and in partnership with the Middle Georgia Clean Cities Coalition.

“It will actually be on the streets of Macon doing refuse collection, just like any of their other trucks,” Mr. Collier said. “We will test to see how it performs and what the savings are in comparison to a traditional refuse truck.”

The truck will be in Macon for one year to demonstrate its capabilities and then will move to other locations to repeat the process, said Mike Mead, APTO office chief.

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