Odyne Systems, Waukesha, Wis., and Valley Power Systems Inc., City of Industry, Calif., have installed Odyne plug-in hybrid systems on new commercial trucks for the California market. Under a contract from the California Energy Commission and administered through Calstart, Valley Power will integrate new hybrid systems on truck chassis for Odyne in California. Valley Power Systems will also retrofit five existing work trucks in the California market with advanced Odyne plug-in systems under a recently announced California Energy Commission agreement, ARV-11-013, administered through the Electric Power Research Institute.
The Odyne hybrid system is the only plug-in hybrid in the market for medium and heavy-duty vehicles that reduces fuel consumption both while driving and at the work site, enabling companies and government fleets to reduce operating costs, while also better meeting sustainability objectives. The Odyne hybrid system, featuring Johnson Controls lithium-ion batteries and a Remy advanced electric propulsion motor proven in over 2 billion road miles, can reduce fuel consumption by up to 50% or greater depending upon the duty cycle, lower emissions and allow large work vehicles to operate quietly at a work site.
Odyne worked with Allison Transmission, an equity partner with a non-controlling interest in Odyne, to seek out Valley Power Systems, Inc., a large Allison distributor, as a manufacturing and installation contractor. Valley Power will provide sub assembly installation and testing of hybrid systems for Odyne. Valley Power’s depth and experience with Allison transmissions and engagement in the California truck market made it a great choice for this unique production opportunity.
The relationship with Allison Transmission distributor Valley Power Systems complements Odyne’s strategy to establish a highly scalable manufacturing network capable of integrating the Odyne hybrid system during the new vehicle build process on trucks over 14,000 pounds, and installing systems on existing vehicles to upgrade efficiency.
Odyne’s contracts mark a significant step toward high-volume production of plug-in hybrid systems that are integrated with a wide variety of new and existing truck chassis and work seamlessly with robust, industry leading transmissions from Allison. Odyne hybrid systems interface with the vehicle transmission through a PTO on the popular 3000 and 4000 series transmissions. The results from this alignment with Allison will go a long way toward accelerating commercialization of plug-in hybrid technology.
