Electric vehicle partners: Dana, Workhorse Group join forces on a new electric, city delivery vehicle
According to a recent U.S. Energy Information Administration Electric Power Monthly report, the average cost of electricity for transportation is just under 10 cents per kilowatt-hour in the U.S. At approximately 60 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles, that’s roughly $6, or six cents per mile for fuel. In comparison, a one-ton gasoline or diesel van getting
The skinny on thinner gear oil
When it comes to lubricants, especially for axles, the stance among fleet owners and operators has traditionally been that thicker viscosity is better. After all, thick lubricants do protect. Gear oil must protect critical hardware within the axle while operating in extremely demanding conditions. Minor damage to an axle can create major headaches from increased
Shell announces results from Starship truck’s cross-country run
Shell Lubricants has announced the results of its Starship truck‘s cross-country run, which began in San Diego, Calif. and ended in Jacksonville, Fla. According to numbers from Shell that were independently verified by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE), which followed the truck on its run, the truck achieved an average of 8.94
Kenworth and UPS to collaborate on DOE SuperTruck II program
Kenworth announced that it is working together with UPS under the U.S. Department of Energy’s SuperTruck II program, utilizing the Kenworth T680 tractor and the PACCAR MX engine.
‘Automatic’ retention: Equipment that makes drivers productive and fleets profitable
As automated manual transmissions (AMTs) rose through the build ranks of the OEMs, you often heard a similar refrain: “Once you get a driver behind the wheel of an AMT, they will not want to go back to a manual.” Today, truck OEMs report that AMTs make up the majority of builds in on-highway applications.
Department of Energy announces $19M for advanced battery, electrification research
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced $19 million to support twelve new cost-shared research projects focused on batteries and vehicle electrification technologies to enable extreme fast charging. Selected research projects are focused on developing electric vehicle systems that can recharge rapidly at high power levels, decreasing typical charge times to 15 minutes or
The lowdown on high-quality gear oil
Wherever shafts and axles turn, and wherever gears mesh, you’ll probably find a lubricant of some kind. Gear oils provide multiple important functions when it comes to the operation of gears and axles. As gear oils flow around axles, they help to cool the critical hardware components by carrying heat away and dissipating it. They
Adding service value with technology and software
Whether maintenance is performed at company shops or by outside service providers, the key question is whether your maintenance choices are resulting in lower costs and reducing downtime. “Effective service programs turn maintenance into a competitive advantage,” says Dick Hyatt, president and chief executive officer of Decisiv. “The most important consideration is that fleets
Puget Sound Energy orders fleet of hybrid vans from XL
Puget Sound Energy (PSE), the Washington state energy provider, announced it has added 40 new utility vehicles equipped with a hybrid electrification solution from XL. PSE says it selected XL’s fleet electrification technology for its 40 new cleaner and more fuel efficient Ford Transit utility vans, which hit the streets earlier this year. The upgrade
Autocar to offer Cummins X12 engine
Cummins Inc. announced that starting in the fourth quarter of this year, Autocar, an American manufacturer of severe-duty, cab-over-engine vocational trucks, will introduce the X12 in its ACX(r) model. “With its best-in-class power-to-weight ratio, Cummins believes that the X12 engine will be well suited to address the needs of the refuse market as well as
