HybriDrive System for Trucks Developed by BAE

With all the excitement which has engulfed the passenger car segment of the automotive industry now that hybrid and electric vehicles have become a reality, some of the industry's players are turning their attention to a part of the market which has been left behind: trucks.

Perhaps the biggest polluters and oil burners of all vehicles, trucks are slowly beginning to benefit from the advancements in technology achieved by several companies. The latest such tech, developed by BAE Systems, is the HybriDrive parallel system.

The technology is based on a single electric machine integrated between the engine and the transmission. It allows the trucks to become more efficient by providing the perfect medium for propulsion and energy regeneration to occur.

“The development of a parallel system is part of our strategy to broaden our HybriDrive product family to meet the growing worldwide need for more efficient transport and energy management,” said Steve Trichka, vice president of power and energy management for BAE Systems.

“Our HybriDrive parallel system is the perfect hybrid electric solution for vehicles that operate in diverse duty cycles beyond standard urban operational modes.”

HybriDrive, in its earlier incarnations, is already being used in 3,000 transit buses in cities around the world. In the models in which it is used, the system proved to be just what the bus operators need to cut fuel consumption and emissions.

The new generation developed for use in trucks will be introduced for testing purposes next year, with mass production expected to begin in 2012.