Mack Trucks announced that it will demonstrate two zero-emission capable Class 8 drayage trucks as part of a California-based heavy-duty truck development project designed to help reduce air pollution at freight-intensive locations throughout the state.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District, which will lead the project, will receive funding through a $23.6 million grant from the state of California.
Mack said its efforts will build upon its experiences in designing and demonstrating a plug-in hybrid electric drayage truck based on a Mack Pinnacle day cab model.
The Mack drayage truck was built as part of an earlier SCAQMD-sponsored project and is capable of zero-emission operation using a Mack MP7 diesel engine with a parallel hybrid system and lithium-ion battery pack, according to the company.
Additional lightweight and aerodynamic-enhancing components were also included to extend the benefits of the hybrid technology and maximize zero-emission range, according to the company.
Plus, the trucks use geo-fencing capabilities similar to those enabled by Mack’s GuardDog Connect telematics platform to switch between zero-emission and hybrid operating modes, the company said. Geo-fencing establishes a virtual perimeter as determined by GPS coordinates. The onboard hardware can then identify each time the truck passes through the perimeter.
Mack said when inside the zero-emission geo-fence — which includes locations with the heaviest freight traffic, such as a port — the truck operates in pure electric mode, according to Mack. When outside the zero-emission geo-fence — such as on the way to a rail yard or distribution center — the diesel engine is enabled, allowing for hybrid operation and recharging of the batteries.
The drayage truck is undergoing evaluation and testing in a drayage fleet at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, according to Mack.
