Mack Trucks will demonstrate two zero-emission capable Class 8 drayage trucks as part of a South Coast Air Quality Management District project funded by a $23.6 million grant from the State of California. Mack will use knowledge gained from the development of its plug-in hybrid electric drayage trucks, including the truck above, which was recently shown at ACT Expo 2016.

Emissions & Efficiency

Mack to demonstrate zero-emission capable drayage trucks

May 26, 2016

Mack Trucks will demonstrate two zero-emission capable Class 8 drayage trucks as part of a California-based heavy-duty truck development project.

Mack Trucks will demonstrate two zero-emission capable Class 8 drayage trucks as part of a California-based heavy-duty truck development project designed to help reduce air pollution at freight-intensive locations throughout the state. The project, which will be led by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), will receive funding through a $23.6 million grant from the State of California. The grant was announced during the Advanced Clean Technology (ACT) Expo 2016 in Long Beach.SCAQMD will partner with four separate air quality districts in California to work toward the first large-scale demonstration of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks. As one of the truck manufacturers selected to receive funding, the Mack trucks will focus on ultra-low NOx technologies, while advancing plug-in hybrid and geo-fencing capabilities explored in previous and ongoing projects, the company said.“Mack looks forward to continuing our collaboration with SCAQMD and demonstrating two zero-emission capable drayage trucks,” said Dennis Slagle, president of Mack Trucks. “Mack has been a leader in powertrain innovation for decades, and we are excited to apply our knowledge to this project.”The goals of the zero-emission capable drayage truck project include reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions at locations with heavy freight volumes, including ports, rail yards and the freight corridors connecting them.“This unique collaborative effort is aimed at fostering the development of advanced zero-emission truck technologies that are vital to improving air quality in communities near our busy freight corridors,” said Joe Buscaino, Los Angeles City Councilman and SCAQMD Board Member. “Cleaner truck fleets on our roadways are important for air quality and climate goals, and essential to protecting public health.”Mack said its efforts will build upon its experiences in designing and demonstrating a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) drayage truck based on a Mack Pinnacle daycab model. The Mack drayage truck, which was displayed during ACT Expo 2016, was built as part of an earlier SCAQMD-sponsored project, and is capable of zero-emission operation thanks to the integration of a Mack MP7 diesel engine with a parallel hybrid system and lithium-ion battery pack. Additional lightweight and aerodynamic-enhancing components were also included to extend the benefits of the hybrid technology and maximize zero-emission range.The truck utilizes geo-fencing capabilities similar to those enabled by Mack’s GuardDog Connect telematics platform to switch between zero-emission and hybrid operating modes. Geo-fencing establishes a virtual perimeter as determined by GPS coordinates. The onboard hardware can then identify each time the truck passes through the perimeter.When inside the zero-emission geo-fence – which includes locations with the heaviest freight traffic, such as a port – the truck operates in pure electric mode. When outside the zero-emission geo-fence – such as on the way to a rail yard or distribution center – the diesel engine is enabled, allowing for hybrid operation and recharging of the batteries.The Mack drayage truck is currently undergoing evaluation and testing in a drayage fleet at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.