Odyne In Strategic Supplier Agreement With Bosch Rexroth for Plug-in Ramp-Up
22 February 2007
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| Odyne’s basic series plug-in hybrid design is modular and scalable. Click to enlarge. |
Odyne Corporation, a developer of series-configuration plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) technology for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses, has entered a strategic supplier agreement with Bosch Rexroth for preferred pricing and a steady supply of electric motors and drives. Odyne plans to ramp up PHEV production in 2007.
The motors are used for multiple functions, including: generators to produce the electricity that charges the battery packs; traction motors to transfer power from the battery packs to the vehicle; and during regenerative braking, to transfer the kinetic energy from the vehicle to the battery packs.
Bosch Rexroth and Odyne will work together to ensure that future Bosch products will be optimized for plug-in hybrid applications.
Market awareness and demand for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles is growing rapidly as fleet managers explore solutions to lower fuel and vehicle maintenance costs. Odyne has developed proven and cost effective solutions to fill this important niche for medium and heavy-duty trucks. We are excited to partner with Odyne Corporation, as they are a clear leader within this market.
—Rich Huss, Vice President and General Manager of Bosch Rexroth Electric Drives and Controls
Odyne has developed a proprietary system combining electric power conversion, power control and energy storage technology, with standard electric motors, storage batteries and other off the shelf components to create its plug-ins.
In October 2006, Odyne acquired Technology Integration Group, Inc., in a merger transaction concurrent with the closing of a $3.1 million private placement. The combination of the funding and the integration group gave Odyne the resources to fulfill existing orders and pursue more, according to Roger Slotkin, Odyne CEO. (Earlier post.)
I'm a fan of PHEVs but I have to wonder if in a vehicle like a garbage truck which runs all day would be an easier sell in a HEV format with a lower up-front cost. I would think that the greatest majority in operating savings would already be realized by being a HEV. With the stop and go nature of curb-side garbage collection hybridization must give huge savings in fuel.
Posted by: Neil | 22 February 2007 at 11:13 AM
Never mind, I think I just figured it out. By the time you put together a battery with a high enough power density to make one of these things move, you have a lot of surplus energy storage which you might as well top off before you start the day.
Posted by: Neil | 22 February 2007 at 11:16 AM
More and more we see end-user products involving various electric or hybrid designs.
Battery news has involved a lot of hype and 'real soon now' promises. But now we see reality-based, successful companies getting complete power solutions ready to sell. The batteries, the controls, the drives, the works.
Good!
Posted by: K | 22 February 2007 at 04:14 PM
If this kind of R&D had taken off in the 1970's like it should have if it weren't for us getting into bed with the Saudis, just imagine where the technology would be today.
Posted by: Erick | 22 February 2007 at 05:29 PM
Actauly much of the battery tech now could only have been done NOW. Alot of unrelated techs came out to enable these developements.
Posted by: wintermane | 22 February 2007 at 06:05 PM
A garbage truck would probably be a good application. They only do about 10-20 miles per day. They also operate early in the morning and piss off a lot of sleeping voters with their noise.
Posted by: Alex | 22 February 2007 at 11:19 PM
Garbage trucks go more than 10-20 miles a day. Most Landfills are located in the outer rings of the suburbs where the land is still chepaer and not fully developed. So while they only drive a couple of miles in the actual trash collection, they drive 15 or more miles in from their headquarters and then 15 miles back.
That is, unless they are bringing the trash to a burning facility in town.
I'd say a HEV with about a 1-5 mile range for in between houses during collection would be a good compromise.
Posted by: darwin | 23 February 2007 at 06:51 AM
few dazed techies that can't even solve an ODE are willing to admit that trash collection is not the answer, and that trash reduction/elimination actually is, and that is really sick and it sucks.
where is the tech for that ?
Posted by: kt | 24 February 2007 at 08:23 PM
KT, you're right. Lets tell all Waste management compaies to stop collecting. you can go bury your garbage yourself, including your human waste.
Trash collection is certainly part of the answer and is required. You'll never eliminate trash. I assume you do eat, buy clothes, products?
Or, do you have your own garden, cows, goats, sheep, fish? How is it that you manage to type on a computer today? Was that computer delivered, in a box? With documents? Packaging?
Waste Management, WTE, etc., is part of the process. What we cannot eliminate will have to be efficiently picked up and delivered for reuse or energy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_Management%2C_Inc
WM Inc. has 17 waste-to-energy plants, 131 recycling plants, 95 beneficial-use landfill gas projects and 6 independent power production plants.
Progress is being made.
Meanwhile, new rules and regulations for product packaging up front can help achieve better waste management after product sells.
Posted by: Michael | 25 February 2007 at 02:19 PM