Once a week, my alarm clock is truly unnecessary … the rumblings of the trash truck, with the loud squealing of braking with the roar of acceleration between driveways, ensure that I won’t sleep late that morning. For awhile, I’ve been wondering why hybrid technologies aren’t making into those garbage trucks. While regenerative braking would hopefully cut down on the noise, at least I would be woken up by the ‘glorious sound of energy efficiency in the morning’. Bit by bit, that hoped-for day is approaching.
The Swedish Energy Agency has awarded Volvo $1.4 million to develop hybrid refuse collection trucks based on a system that Volvo had already developed for the US Air Force. Green Car Congress has discussed the I-SAM hybrid system a couple times. The I-SAM “supports regenerative braking; electric launch and assist; electrification of power steering, air compressor and airconditioning; idle avodance …”
Over all, “the goal of the project is to achieve fuel savings of up to 30%.”
And, well, perhaps to let me sleep longer one day a week?
Is that too much to ask?
Is it?
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