A new company wants to prove that the electrification of commercial trucks does not necessarily have to be limited to pure battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) technologies.
Austin, Texas-based ReVolt Motors is not only making its official debut at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky next month but it's also showcasing something the industry has yet to see: a Peterbilt 379 retrofitted with a diesel-hybrid drivetrain.
This unique semi was designed with the American trucker in mind, the company says, by using "common sense [to] build a better truck." The Peterbilt 379 is merely an example, meaning this retrofit can likely be applied to a number of older tractors.
ReVolt says that the Peterbilt 379 will be its show truck but the Peterbilt 579 pictured above is the vehicle currently being used for testing and ride and drive opportunities.
With a total of 670 horsepower and 3,500 lb-ft of torque on hand, the engine serves as a generator for the electric motor. This hybrid approach is commonly used in hybrid passenger vehicles, like the Toyota Prius, with the exception of having the latter using a gasoline engine as a generator instead of an oil burner. The electric motor is what spins the wheels, not the combustion engine.
ReVolt Motors founder and CEO Gus Gardner told our sister publication Overdrive that the hybrid system is basically like an electric truck, except instead of batteries weighing thousands of pounds, it has a diesel engine with an electric generator, which charges the batteries that power the truck.
As far as range, Gardner said the truck has "basically the same range as a diesel truck" in its normal use cases. If the driver needs to switch the truck to full electric mode, perhaps if operating at a port in California, it can run about 100 miles, give or take about 20%, on EV mode.
ReVolt Motors
Simply by flipping a switch, drivers can change from using the diesel engine on the open road to the electric motor, allowing them to continue operating in states with strict zero-emissions mandates, such as California.
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“Drivers should not have to choose between losing their longtime routes because of changing regulatory environments or losing the truck in which they have already made significant investments,” added Gardner. “American truckers want their trucks to reflect their identity, and our retrofit technology allows them to continue driving the trucks they love while still making a living.”
The retrofit option, claims ReVolt, has several advantages over BEV or FCEV alternatives, both of which can easily surpass $500,000 before features and other accessories. For starters, opting for the retrofit eliminates the need for a separate auxiliary power unit to power the sleeper cab without idling the main engine. In other words, drivers will benefit from nearly endless heat and AC. When it comes to fuel efficiency, the company claims the truck returns at least 12 miles per gallon, a 1,200-mile range, and about 40% in fuel savings. Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) comes in at 130,000 lbs.
While the company has not specified a price point for its hybrid retrofit, Gardner told Overdrive that the goal is to keep pricing in the range of "a million-mile refit, like if you have to do your engine and your rear ends."
The hybrid system, which reduces carbon emissions by 40% even with using diesel, automatically charges the truck's batteries thanks to a range extender and regenerative braking, making an EV charger unnecessary and zero concerns about running out of electrical power before reaching a charging station.
ReVolt admits that EPA certification as a near zero-emissions solution has not been received, but is confident this will happen at a later date.
