picture: Edison Motors + Trucks

A 1962 Kenworth LW 924, used as a logging truck for 40 years and abandoned for 15 years was transformed into a hybrid vehicle by the Canadian company Edison Motors as their first prototype vehicle. For most of the vehicle’s life it was powered by a diesel engine with a fuel consumption of 40L/100km. The conversion included installing an electric motor alongside a smaller diesel generator, creating a serial hybrid system. The truck now has two batteries, which get continuously charged by the diesel motor and then provide the stored energy to the electric motor. And despite the additional electrical components, the truck’s weight remained unchanged due to the removal of one fuel tank and the use of a smaller diesel generator. Through the decoupling of drivetrain and diesel engine, the latter can operate more efficiently and can reduce the fuel consumption by about 70% on a driving distance of 1000 km and starting with a full battery charge. It therefore only consumes about 12L/100km, which is an impressive improvement, despite the vehicle still being independent from electric charging infrastructure. Of course, the fuel savings depend on the terrain and use profile.

Although the output shaft of the Tesla Model S motor proved too weak for heavy-duty hauling, the prototype successfully validated the concept and provided valuable real-world data for the Edison Motor’s future vehicles. And it clearly shows the improvements a hybrid propulsion system can offer, being clearly more efficient than a diesel engine, even when still relying on diesel as the sole source of energy.

Read more: https://www.edisonmotors.ca/carl