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King County leads way in the use of clean vehicle
technology
The Clean
Vehicles Now! Conference hosted last week by King County showcased
ways to use alternative fuels and clean-vehicle technology to combat
climate instability and fossil fuel dependence. With dozens of the
newest clean vehicles either on the road or on order, the King County
Department of Transportation (KCDOT) is already ahead of the pack in
this area.
KCDOT has fully embraced clean fuels and hybrid technology. Almost all of the department’s large vehicles operate with a combination of biodiesel and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel. Then in addition to Metro Transit’s 214 hybrid buses, there are more than 167 hybrid passenger vehicles in the county fleet. In the past week, a hybrid lift truck reported for duty, soon to be joined by two more. Some of the county’s existing hybrid cars are undergoing electric plug-in conversions, and there are two new cars in the fleet that run on natural gas. The next step could be electric-only light and medium-duty work trucks. “We are always in the market for new hybrid or alternate-technology vehicles, and more and more are being produced every day,” said Windell Mitchell, director of the King County Fleet Administration Division. “King County is one of the first government agencies in the Northwest to make this kind of commitment to clean-vehicle technology. We are constantly looking at ways to decrease our use of diesel and gasoline and find vehicles that produce fewer emissions.” Here’s a look at the newest clean, green members of the county fleet: Hybrid work truck – The new King County hybrid truck is a T-270 Kenworth hybrid and will be used to maintain traffic signals throughout King County. King County Fleet Administration worked closely with Kenworth and Paccar to purchase the first Kenworth hybrid sold to a government agency and the very first hybrid truck used in an aerial lift application. The truck is powered by a Paccar PX-6 diesel engine, which will operate with B-20 biodiesel – a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel. The hybrid lithium-ion battery pack will power the truck up to 30 mph and operate the aerial lift. This function will provide up to a 60 percent reduction in fuel consumption over current non-hybrid trucks. These types of trucks are stationary for long periods of time, and with this model crews can work from the lift without running the truck’s engine. Another great benefit is that the work area is much quieter for both workers and nearby residents. And, it will result in fewer trips back and forth to the fuelling station. Exhaust greenhouse emissions will also be reduced substantially due to the B-20 diesel fuel and hybrid operation – up to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The added plug-in battery pack can be recharged in five hours using a standard household 110-volt current via the onboard built-in charger. The system does not modify the stock hybrid system, and can be deactivated at any time with a push of a button, reverting back to the standard Toyota configuration. The system is designed to support new battery chemistry as it becomes available. |
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