2008
Mack to Display Hybrid Technology for Heavy-Duty Trucks
TerraPro Model Slated for July 18 Smart Green Showcase in Frederick, Md.
LEHIGH VALLEY, PA (July 16, 2008) - Mack Trucks, Inc. will display a heavy-duty truck equipped with its innovative and fuel-saving hybrid technology at the inaugural SMART Green Showcase in Frederick, Maryland on July 18. The Mack® TerraPro™ Low Entry refuse truck was built under contract for the United States Air Force and will be placed into operation later this year in Macon, Georgia. This is the fifth hybrid Mack has built for USAF. The others are in operation around the country.
"Mack's hybrid technology significantly reduces fuel consumption," said Mack President and CEO Dennis Slagle. "Fuel economy improvements of 30% to 50% are achievable in refuse applications like the one this truck is built to handle. Reduced fuel consumption also directly reduces CO2 emissions, which is good for the environment and society as a whole."
"There are more than 80,000 vehicles in refuse service in the U.S., with each running up to 75,000 miles a year," Slagle said. "At that many miles, a hybrid refuse truck would use 10,000 gallons less diesel per year than a conventional truck. Hybrid trucks are also quieter than conventional trucks - meaning less noise in our neighborhoods on trash collection days."
The Mack hybrid electric powertrain features an integrated starter, alternator and motor referred to collectively as an electric machine. The electric machine assists the TerraPro's Mack MP7 diesel engine in providing torque to the wheels and regenerates energy during braking. The energy captured during braking (stored as electricity in lithium ion batteries) is then used in place of diesel fuel and helps launch the truck from stops.
This technology provides the maximum fuel savings on routes with frequent braking and accelerations. Examples, in addition to refuse, are urban delivery and certain construction applications.
The SMART Green Showcase is hosted by the SMART Organization (Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for Tomorrow), in conjunction with Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, MD, co-leader of the SMART Congressional Caucus. The showcase will provide businesses and homeowners with examples of smart energy solutions and practical ways to use less energy, as well as promote clean, domestic, renewable energy resources.
CAPTION: Mack Trucks, Inc. will display a Mack® TerraPro™ Low Entry refuse truck with a diesel electric hybrid drivetrain at the inaugural Smart Green Showcase in Frederick, Md. on July 18.
Dedicated to quality, reliability, and total customer satisfaction, Mack Trucks, Inc. has provided its customers with innovative transportation solutions for more than a century. Today, Mack is one of North America's largest producers of heavy-duty trucks, and MACK® vehicles are sold and serviced in more than 45 countries worldwide. All Mack manufacturing locations are certified to the internationally recognized ISO 9001 standard for quality and ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems. Mack is also a proud sponsor of Share the Road, an American Trucking Associations' public information campaign aimed at enhancing the safety of our nation's roadways.
Mack is a member of the Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and services, and is the world's leading producer of heavy-diesel engines (9-16 liter). The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs about 100,000 people, has production facilities in 19 countries and sells its products in more than 180 markets. Annual sales of the Volvo Group amount to over $42 billion. The Volvo Group is a publicly-held company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Shares are listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm and are traded OTC in the US
