- Propelled by an electric motor under 48 mph, transitioning to diesel power at highway speeds
TROY, Mich., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- ArvinMeritor Inc. (NYSE: ARM)
announced today that the company presented Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Bentonville,
Ark., with a prototype heavy-duty truck equipped with the first Meritor(R)
diesel-electric drivetrain.
Wal-Mart Transportation operates nearly 7,200 heavy-duty trucks in North
America and has committed to doubling its fleet efficiency by 2015. Wal-Mart
will test and evaluate the vehicle in regular linehaul service at one of its
distribution centers throughout 2009.
"While most hybrid systems today are best suited for start-stop
applications, our hybrid drivetrain is specifically designed for linehaul,
over-the-road trucks, the largest segment of the commercial vehicle
population," said Carsten J. Reinhardt, president of ArvinMeritor's Commercial
Vehicle Systems (CVS) business.
The Meritor dual-mode hybrid drivetrain combines both mechanical and
electrical propulsion systems. Under 48 miles-per-hour, vehicle propulsion is
delivered entirely through an electric motor with power from lithium ion
batteries. These batteries are recharged through regenerative braking and/or
an engine-driven generator.
As the vehicle approaches highway speed, the drivetrain phases to a
diesel-powered system with the electric motor providing power, only as
required, allowing for total system optimization.
The key differentiation of this system is its ability for zero-emission
mode over a wide range of vehicle driving conditions. This allows the truck
to operate in places where emissions are restricted, like a port or urban
area.
Additionally, the batteries provide continuous power for hotel loads
during an overnight rest period, eliminating the need for engine idling or
other redundant anti-idling systems. Electrification of accessories such as
the air or AC compressors provides further efficiency benefits.
The Meritor hybrid drivetrain was developed in collaboration with Navistar
and Cummins and is comprised of a proprietary motor/generator unit, high
capacity lithium ion batteries, as well as the overall power-management
system. Also outfitted on the Walmart tractor are a Meritor tandem drive
axle, and an advanced MeritorWABCO anti-lock braking system with integrated
stability control and driver assistance systems.
The majority of commercial trucks on the road today are Class 8 vehicles -
more than 2.7 million in the United States alone. These trucks log roughly
130 billion miles and consume nearly 53 billion gallons of fuel each year.
Collectively, truck fleets spent about $111 billion on diesel fuel in 2007
when the average national retail price was $2.68 a gallon.
About ArvinMeritor
ArvinMeritor, Inc. is a premier global supplier of a broad range of
integrated systems, modules and components to the motor vehicle industry. The
company serves commercial truck, trailer and specialty original equipment
manufacturers and certain aftermarkets, and light vehicle manufacturers.
ArvinMeritor common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the
ticker symbol ARM. For more information, visit the company's Web site at:
http://www.arvinmeritor.com/.
