Adams Electric Cooperative in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania will be the first plug-in hybrid utility bucket truck builders after serving 30,000 customers and 2,800 miles of electrical distribution line. The Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) bucket truck was developed by DUECO, Inc. and ODYNE, Inc. and they are all set to be used in some parts of New York, upper Franklin and Cumberland. The PHEV technology includes PHEV propulsion system that minimizes the fuel consumption, idle engine noise as well as emissions in battery mode. It has a reserve diesel engine and the batteries that recharges in 8 hours with a 240-v outlet. Even without using diesel, the batteries can chill the cabin and provide power supply to the truck. The diesel engine can recharge the battery pack during off-peak hours if such a situation arises.
The fuel cost estimates are half those of a non-hybrid truck. After the boom, the bucket can be lifted two extra feet. The Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) has a 55-foot vertical and a 36-foot horizontal bucket reach with a 12-foot telescopic extension on the upper boom. The bucket is capacious enough to rotate around the boom at an angle of 90 degrees. The jib lifts up to 1,000 pounds whereas the freight of the vehicle is 7,500 pounds. It’s just the beginning of the inspiring PHEV legend and a lot are sure to pursue.
Source: GreenTechGazette
