Hyliion’s ERX Hypertruck: A Right here-Now Answer to BEV Vary Issues – Gear

The engine makes use of the usual maintenance-free three-way catalyst aftertreatment system discovered on different pure gasoline engines, and it already exceeds EPA’s newly printed low-NOx emissions customary. In case you are unaware, that’s 80% decrease than the present EPA customary for diesel engines.

The truck I drove had 4 compressed gasoline tanks (175 DGE) mounted behind the sleeper. That may be scaled again to a few or two tanks (65 DGE) to avoid wasting weight if vary isn’t an enormous concern.

There’s virtually no distinction from the motive force’s perspective. The cab and sprint format are the identical as a diesel Mannequin 579. The operate of the truck is similar, too. The acquainted shifter stick on the steering column is used to shift into ahead or reverse, and to regulate the extent of regen braking depth requested by the motive force, in a lot the identical means the shifter management is used on a diesel.

The truck had a prototype pill show mounted above the solar visor over the motive force to indicate the battery state of cost and different pertinent particulars in regards to the system. That pill will ultimately be built-in into an in-dash show with yet-to-be-determined performance. The driving force could have entry to some features of the charging system and battery-only operation however not all.  

Hyliion Founder and CEO Thomas Healy gave me a walk-around tour of the truck and accompanied me on the drive, giving me a number of alternative to ask questions. He answered most of them however was mum on a number of factors. In equity, it’s nonetheless in growth, so some specs would possibly change earlier than manufacturing begins.  

When requested about weight, he mentioned, coyly, “It’s lighter than a full BEV however heavier than a diesel.”

Driver Attraction

I’m afraid I don’t have something terribly thrilling to report right here; the ERX Hypertruck drives identical to every other Peterbilt 579, with a few exceptions. It’s actually quiet in within the cab, even with the vary extender engine operating. And with a complete of 670 hp on the wheels, it pulls higher than virtually any truck I’ve ever pushed.

We all know drivers aren’t keen on pure gasoline engines, however they love battery-electric vehicles for his or her energy and get-up-and-go. Right here’s the great thing about the ERX. In a typical driving situation, flat floor, open highway, the truck wants about 125 to 150 hp (like virtually any trendy aero truck) to take care of 65 mph or so. The pure gasoline engine pushes about 200 hp by way of the generator and into the batteries. There’s a optimistic stream of electrical energy to the batteries anytime the state of cost is between 50% and about 80%.

Nonetheless, if the motive force will get on the throttle for a climb or a passing maneuver, output isn’t restricted to the pure gasoline engine’s lame 400 hp/1,450 lb-ft, The driving force has a full 670 electrical hp and gobs of torque below foot. The depleted cost from that further push is well made up by the generator or regen braking alternatives.

When accelerating up a freeway onramp, as I did at one level, I may really feel the motors altering gears — although Thomas my co-pilot needed to level it out because it was taking place. As one of many two drive motors broke torque and shifted to excessive gear, the opposite motor saved powering the opposite drive axle. When the primary shift was full, the second motor/gearbox shifted to excessive gear, and we saved accelerating with no pause for the gear change. 

On the opposite finish of the electrical spectrum, regen braking was as robust or stronger than even a diesel engine brake. I used to be in a position to handle the depth of the braking (power seize) with management on the steering column, from place 1 (gentle) to place 3 (full). In a talented driver’s arms, this might simply be a one-pedal truck, with virtually no must ever contact the brake besides to carry the truck nonetheless at a site visitors gentle.

The in-cab noise stage in battery mode was about 10 decibels quieter than a diesel. The distinction is about the identical as a typical diesel at freeway pace in comparison with a reasonably good passenger automotive.

It was a bit louder with the generator engine operating, but it surely was much less obtrusive than a reefer engine. In truth, in some methods it was rather a lot like a reefer engine, biking on and off and altering pace with charging demand. The distinction was the sound was coming from the entrance moderately than behind the cab.

It was a bit odd accelerating and decelerating with no distinction within the sound of the engine. When it was operating, it ran at a reasonably fixed pace no matter what the truck was doing. However I feel most drivers would get used to that after a day or two of driving an ERX. 

Professionals and Cons of Pure Fuel

In some individuals’s eyes, pure gasoline remains to be a carbon-based fossil gasoline, and that’s sufficient of a purpose to sentence the stuff. Nonetheless, it’s cleaner-burning than diesel. It’s a lot cheaper; it requires a quite simple, no-touch aftertreatment system, and it already meets the ultra-low NOx and particulate matter (PM) requirements which might be inflicting consternation and gnashing of tooth between the engine makers and the regulators.

The U.S. Division of Power says burning 1,000,000 BTUs price of pure gasoline produces about 117 kilos of CO₂, in comparison with 160 kilos for the same quantity (power content material) of diesel.

Additional, while you issue within the rising potential for renewable pure gasoline comprised of biomass, natural waste, manure ponds, and so forth., the emissions discount proposition turns into even higher.