Silicon Valley Startup Focuses on Electric Drive Powertrain for HD Waste Removal Trucks

Wrightspeed, Inc., a Silicon Valley startup, has announced its third electric driveline product, a heavy-duty powertrain engineered to save fuel in heavy stop-and-go applications, such as waste removal trucks.

Called the Route HD, it can burn diesel, CNG, LNG, or landfill gases, and, according to its creators, it can save refuse companies more than $35k in fuel costs, and $10k in maintenance costs, per year.

The system is designed as a repower kit, so commercial fleets can retrofit their existing trucks. This helps get dirty powertrains off the road, without necessitating the purchase of a brand-new asset.

The Route HD is a series hybrid system that uses electric motors that power the wheels, along with a battery, and a turbine range-extending generator that charges the battery as needed.

The result is a system that looks like battery electric vehicle (EV) that has its power station and grid charger onboard.

Except Wrightspeed’s products are even cleaner than an EV.

“Even if Wrightspeed’s Route HD powertrain is never plugged in,” says founder and CEO, Ian Wright, “it’s cleaner than an EV, because the exhaust emissions are lower per kWhr than the average mix of US power stations.”

More at: www.wrightspeed.com

Category: Engines & Drivetrains, General Update, Green