Odyne Systems of Waukesha, WI, has received a contract to supply its plug-in hybrid system technology to about 120 large plug-in hybrid trucks under a $45 million contract the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, CA.
The funding is a part of a federal Dept. of Energy initiative supporting electric vehicle commercialization. The South Coast Air Quality Management District in Southern California is also a partner in the project.
Odyne will be incorporating lithium-ion batteries from Glendale-based Johnson Controls, as well as transmission systems from Allison Transmission of Indiana, in its hybrid work trucks. Johnson Controls invested in Odyne two years ago, and Allison currently holds an investment stake in Odyne.
The project, which includes a research and data collection component for EPRI, aims to show that utilities can see savings on not only fuel but operating costs because of reduced wear and tear on the diesel engine and the braking system.
