Introduced more than 100 years ago, electric cars are seeing a rise in popularity today for many of the same reasons they were first popular. Whether it’s a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric, the demand for electric drive vehicles will continue to climb as prices drop and consumers look for ways to save money at… Keep reading →
The Environmental Protection Agency’s fuel economy measurement system fails to factor in several metrics that could shed light on the fuel efficiency of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, according to Mike Duoba, Vehicle Systems Research Engineer at Argonne National Laboratory. The EPA bears responsibility for generating information on vehicle fuel economy for all new cars… Keep reading →
When one thinks of hybrids, cars like the Toyota Prius come to mind. There’s no reason though green vehicle technology like this needs to be limited to passenger cars or commercial vehicles like moving trucks. It is also turning up in the construction industry, in part via the unveiling in the last week of a new hybrid excavator from Caterpillar.
Caterpillar said its new Cat 336E H is a derivative of the company’s 336E large hydraulic excavator, which is described as a “recognized industry-leading workhorse” by its manufacturer. The new hybrid version is the company’s first to make use of what it calls “a novel hydraulic hybrid technology developed internally” that reportedly uses 25 percent less fuel compared to its regular sibling. Torque News noted of this machine that it has a drive train that “is a diesel-electric design but Caterpillar is not describing the electrical storage capacity nor power of the electric motor.” Keep reading →
