XL Hybrids to display retrofitted hybrid Chevrolet 2500 Cargo Van at MIT Energy Conference

XL Hybrids, Inc., a company that has developed a low-cost hybrid electric powertrain designed specifically for class 1-3 commercial fleet use, will display a Chevrolet Express 2500 cargo van fitted with the company’s hybrid technology at the 2012 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Conference Energy Showcase on 16 March.

The XL Hybrids powertrain consists of a 2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, a 40 kW (53 hp) electric motor and a proprietary hybrid control system that operate seamlessly with the OEM internal combustion engine and automatic transmission.

The company says that its hybrid powertrain increases the EPA city fuel economy by 25%, which can provide a three year payback without government incentives, or immediate savings when combined with vehicle financing. Benefits of the hybrid powertrain include:

• It is designed for rapid installation—less than four hours—in commercial vehicles without modifying or removing the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) engine or transmission.

• There is no additional charging infrastructure or significant impacts to routing or cargo capacity, making XL Hybrids’ solution suited for commercial vehicles that operate under a high daily mileage in urban or suburban areas.

The hybrid powertrain is currently available for the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana 2500 cargo and passenger vans, and the company is expanding the product lineup to include other makes and models of fleet vehicles, including Chevrolet and Ford vans and pickup trucks.

XL Hybrids was started by MIT alumni who collectively have founded four alternative energy companies. XL Hybrids president and founder Tod Hynes is also a co-founder of the MIT Clean Energy Prize, and XL Hybrids co-founder Justin Ashton was a finalist in the 2008 MIT Clean Energy Prize for a water desalination startup, Nanopur.

AT&T orders 1,200 CNG-powered Chevrolet Express vans

A four-tank option enables a 300+ mile range in the CNG Express vans. Click to enlarge.

AT&T has ordered 1,200 Chevrolet Express dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) cargo vans for deployment to AT&T service centers nationwide. It is the largest-ever order of CNG vehicles from General Motors.

AT&T, which has announced its intention to invest up to $565 million to deploy approximately 15,000 alternative fuel vehicles over a 10-year period through 2018, will use the vans to provide and maintain communications, high-speed Internet and television services for AT&T customers. Last week, the company announced the milestone deployment of its 5,000^th alternative-fuel vehicle, a Chevrolet Express van, as part of the commitment.

Chevrolet Express CNG vans are powered by a Vortec 6.0L V8 engine equipped with hardened exhaust valves, and intake and exhaust valve seats for improved wear resistance and durability with gaseous fuel systems. The vans are factory-ordered and delivered to customers with their factory-engineered and fully integrated gaseous fuel system in place.

GM offers two storage systems:

• A 3-tank system provides a range up to 200 miles and allows for use of complete cargo area.

• A 4-tank system provides a range up to 300 miles. This system adds a single tank in the driver’s side of the cargo area, just inboard of the wheel well.

The CNG option is available for order on Chevrolet Express 2500 and 3500 Cargo vans. Each van is covered by GM’s three-year, 36,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty and five-year, 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and meets all Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board emission certification requirements.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, CNG-powered vans can produce approximately 25% fewer carbon dioxide emissions than similar gasoline and diesel-powered vans.

Source: Green Car Congress