Tech with a twist of lime! & FLHybrid Club.

Autoblog green reports: 1/21

The army will be testing several HEMTT A3s over 10,000 miles / 16,093 kms at their Aberdeen Proving Grounds over the next few months. Testers will be throwing everything at the hybrid heavy weights in a bid to prove them ready for combat duty.

The eight-wheel, 13-ton HEMTT A3 uses 20 percent less fuel than the current diesel-only model, and brings 100 kilowatts of portable power along for the ride. This allows fast expeditionary units to bring power with them instead of having to tow an awkward generator to run a command-and-control centre or field hospital. The on-board diesel engine runs a generator, instead of driving the wheels; it is the generator which produces the power to drive eight wheel-mounted electric motors, or provide electricity to mobile operations when the truck is in parking gear. Electricity is stored in an ultracapacitor which operates well in freezing and extremely hot conditions despite weighing more than typical batteries.

All diesel locomotives and this truck are series hybrids, which means that the engine is only a generator. Using this method of power generation allows the manufacturer to optimise the engine so that it runs at just one speed or a limited set of speeds. This allows for the use of a smaller powerplant and frees up space inside the vehicle allowing the vehicle to go farther on one unit of fuel. If this vehicle makes it into service, it could potentially save millions of gallons of fuel and allow logistics officers to focus on other concerns. If this vehicle can operate for a limited time with the generator off, it will allow stealth mode (like the Prius).

Kacey Green
www.GRLT.com, www.FLhybrid.com
"Tech with a twist of lime!", "Promoting the spread of clean transportation technologies."

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Kacey Green said:

I feel this will be a strategic advantage during wartime and because a oil resource that is not readily replenished. In the future we may be up against enemies who have greater fuel supplies than ourselves this could make that advantage moot.

January 24, 2007 | url

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