Johnson Controls to Provide Hybrid Truck Batteries for $45 Million DOE Project

Automobile technology supplier Johnson Control said it will supply lithium-ion batteries for 120 plug-in hybrid trucks through a $45 million Department of Energy grant.

The batteries will be incorporated with a hybrid power system manufactured by Odyne Systems to be used by publicly owned utilities and municipal electric companies across the country.

The grant is part of DOE’s transportation electrification initiative and is designed to further develop plug-in hybrid technology for trucks over 14,000 pounds.

Odyne said its hybrid power system can enable large trucks to obtain fuel economy improvements of up to 50% compared to traditional diesel or gasoline engines.

The Lithium-ion batteries for the trucks will be made at Johnson Controls’ advanced manufacturing facility in Holland, Mich.