EMISSIONS & ALTERNATIVES
Covering Fuel Cells And Other Emerging And Alternative Technologies
DTNA Reaches Production Milestone … Plug
Power Supplies Refreshing New Fleet … eStar
Service And Distribution Network Expanded …
The EPA has waived a limitation on
the sale of gasoline containing an ethanol content of up to 15% (known as E15)
for model-year 2001 to 2006 passenger
vehicles, including cars, SUVs and light
pickup trucks. The decision was made
following a review of testing done by the
Dept. of Energy and other available data
on E15’s effect on vehicle emissions from
the 2001 to 2006 model-year range. The
agency also announced that no waiver will
be granted this year for E15 use in heavy-duty vehicles or nonroad engines, as current testing data does not support it.
Plug Power Inc. has supplied Coca-Cola Refreshments USA with a new fleet
of Gen Drive-powered Caterpillar lift trucks
at Coca-Cola’s 250,000 sq.ft. bottling and
distribution center in San Leandro, Calif.
The fleet includes 37 Class- 1 sit-down
counterbalanced trucks. Previously using
lead batteries as a power source, Coca-Cola said it has transitioned to GenDrive
for the increased productivity and improved space utilization the technology
provides. By removing the lead-acid battery’s infrastructure, the company said it
will recover more than 2000 sq.ft. of facility space and reduce electrical consumption by an estimated 1. 6 million kWh per
year. Plug Power received the purchase
order last November and shipped the 37
units to Coca-Cola in December.
Daimler Trucks North America
(DTNA) has produced its 1000th hybrid
electric vehicle at its Mt. Holly, N.C.,
plant. The vehicle — a Freightliner Busi-
ness Class M2 106 Hybrid truck — is
designed to be configured for a vari-
ety of applications including beverage,
dump, government, landscape, towing,
utility vehicles and emergency. In addi-
tion to the Business Class M2 106 Hy-
brid, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp.
(FCCC), a subsidiary of DTNA, manu-
factures hydraulic hybrid vehicle chassis,
hybrid-electric vehicle walk-in van chas-
sis and an all-electric chassis. All of the
company’s hybrid products are equipped
with EPA 2010-compliant engines utiliz-
ing selective catalytic reduction (SCR)
technology, as well as an Eaton hybrid-
electric drivetrain system.
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