Ann Arbor Hydraulic Hybrids

What do an Ann Arbor recycling truck and a Porsche GTR3 have in common?

They’re both hybrids that don’t use batteries.

With federal funding secured by Clean Energy Mobility, four innovative hydraulic hybrid recycling trucks helped launch Ann Arbor’s new single-stream recycling program in July 2010. The innovative trucks are built using a technology pioneered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor. Clean Energy Mobility is proud to have helped put these transformative vehicles on the road.

The new hybrid system stores excess brake energy in hydraulic tanks, instead of a battery pack, in contrast to nearly all automotive hybrids. This cost effective technology enables the city to save up to 30 percent on fuel, while delivering a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

More than 80 people attended the last Ann Arbor Clean Cities meeting where speakers from Eaton Corporation, the City of Ann Arbor and the EPA spoke about the creation, development and deployment of this groundbreaking technology. If you could not join us, see the presentations here.

Interested in learning more about hydraulic hybrids? Watch this video.

Read media coverage about how Clean Energy Mobility helped Ann Arbor be among the first to launch hybrid technology in its municipal fleet, here.