Called the Allianz 4000, it promises cleaner roads and cleaner air plus a top speed of 60 mph (99 km/h). The unique vehicle will be used by New York City, and features a 6.7-liter Cummins diesel in addition to two 12-volt lithium-ion batteries and an electric-traction drive system. Allianz Sweeper Company hopes the system will offer decent power and performance, combined with up to 40% in fuel savings, significantly reduced emissions and reduced noise levels as well.
“A sweeper is not a typical light duty truck and therefore we need to be able to accommodate many different functions including transport, sweeping, dust control and emission compliance,” said Allianz sales manager Chad Bormann. The main function of a sweeper is to spin its brooms so the differential is set up to turn brooms at a constant speed regardless of how fast the sweeper travels.
“We have the ability to operate using a smaller single diesel engine running at lower RPMs. This alone creates savings against any street sweeper that requires an auxiliary engine in conjunction with the chassis engine to drive and operate the sweep functions. The fuel savings are extreme and the carbon footprint minimal considering that street sweepers are operated for long shifts daily all over the world,” Bormann also stated in the press release announcing the launch.
The total cost of the Allianz 4000 is yet to be determined, but it is expected to be higher than a conventional sweeper. The extra cost might be balanced out by fuel savings. In order to comply with laws in certain states that require street sweepers to be able to travel at highway speeds, the 4000 has a top speed that’s limited to 60 mph (99 km/h).
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