19.01.2015

Hybrid platforms for We Energies

Wisconsin, US utility company We Energies has taken delivery of its first two Ondyne hybrid powered Terex Utilities Hi-Ranger bucket trucks.

The new machines, a TC55 line construction truck mounted on an IHC chassis which will be doing everyday line work, and a Terex SC45 trouble truck which will be used for driving and service work, were sold through Terex Utilities distributor Dueco. Both trucks are equipped with diagnostics to measure the performance of the hybrid trucks relative to others in the We Energies fleet.

The Odyne hybrid power system combines reliable electric power conversion, power control and energy storage technology. An Odyne plug-in hybrid system is said to lower fuel consumption by up to 50 percent compared to traditional diesel or gasoline engines, reducing emissions and providing quieter operation on site. The Odyne system is the only one approved to interface with Allison automatic transmissions and uses a Remy electric motor in parallel with the existing drivetrain to provide launch assist and regenerative braking.

Once in the work mode, the Odyne plug-in hybrid system, featuring Johnson Controls’ lithium-ion battery packs, powers the boom and all platform functions, with the engine off. The batteries are topped up as the the machines drive between locations.
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A We Energies Terex Ondyne hybrid bucket truck

The trucks are part of a 292 vehicle, $45.4 million U.S. Department of Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, and South Coast Air Quality Management District of California award.

Jewel Currie, We Energies director of transportation, health and safety said: “We are proud to be adding these hybrid trucks to our fleet. They’ll help us lower our fuel costs and reduce emissions. Plus, our employees and customers will notice how much quieter they are in the field.”

Matt Jarmuz, director of sales at Odyne Systems added: "We are excited to have an Odyne plug-in hybrid system evaluated against other alternatives in the We Energies fleet. We have a passion for innovation and delivery of reliable, advanced hybrid system solutions, and this truck will help establish the merits of the product when evaluated alongside other trucks in the fleet.”

We Energies is the trading name for the utility subsidiaries of Wisconsin Energy, and serves more than 1.1 million electric customers in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and 1.1 million natural gas customers in Wisconsin.