NEW YORK, NY – During a recent event in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Mack Trucks, Inc. was recognized for delivering a diesel-electric hybrid MACK TerraPro Low Entry model refuse truck to the city of New York. It is the first production intent parallel diesel-electric hybrid truck in the U.S. designed specifically for Class 8 heavy-duty applications and meeting the EPA'10 emission regulations. Mack officials said it was an important milestone in the company's hybrid commercialization process.
Regarding the truck to be evaluated in everyday operations by the city's Department of Sanitation, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said, "We are very proud to be the first city in the country with a Mack truck of this type. We all want clean neighborhoods, clean air, a clean environment. And clean trucks like this are essential in delivering on that promise."
The TerraPro hybrid has a rear loading refuse packer body. It is equipped with a 325 hp MACK MP7 engine and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) exhaust aftertreatment technology, the approach that Mack is utilizing to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's near-zero emissions standards for 2010.
The Mack diesel-electric hybrid powertrain used in the truck features an integrated starter, alternator and electric motor. The system captures energy from braking, converts the energy to electricity, stores the electricity in lithium ion batteries, and uses it to power the electric motor, which assists the MP7 diesel engine with propulsion of the truck.
This technology provides the maximum fuel savings and environmental benefits on routes with frequent braking and accelerations, making refuse collection an ideal application. Use of this hybrid system, when fully optimized, is expected to improve fuel economy by up to 30%, with a corresponding greenhouse gas emissions benefit.
The EPA'10 regulations going into effect January 1st mark the third set of emissions standards for the trucking industry since 2002- all requiring significant investments in new products and technologies. In 2007, heavy-duty manufacturers like Mack incorporated Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) into their trucks to all but eliminate particulate matter (PM) emissions. The EPA'10 requirements call for emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) to be reduced by more than 80 percent starting January 1st, down to levels so minute they're a challenge to even measure. SCR accomplishes the necessary NOx reduction via a catalytic reaction in the exhaust stream- and at the same time enhances fuel economy. The SCR-DPF combination means trucks like the Mack TerraPro delivered to New York are the cleanest in the world, even before the incorporation of hybrid technology.
"The delivery of this truck marks a key milestone in a long-standing, successful partnership," said Dennis R. Slagle, Mack president and CEO. "The Mack-New York City connection goes back more than 100 years. The Mack brothers built their first buses and trucks in Brooklyn. And in so many ways, we share a common heritage- tough, hard working, reliable. We're also both committed to a clean environment. By burning up to 30% less fuel and emitting significantly less CO2, Mack diesel-electric hybrid trucks can have a great impact on the quality of the air we breathe. We're also proud to be the first manufacturer to provide the city with a heavy-duty hybrid truck fully compliant with the EPA 2010 emissions regulations."
"We ask a lot of the trucks in our operations, and Mack has always provided us with products that stand up to the rigors of what we put them through," said John J. Doherty, Commissioner of the city's Department of Sanitation. "We look forward to putting this hybrid through its paces as well- cleaning up the city while at the same time cleaning the air."
