Via Motors, Verizon Developing Series Hybrid Van 15kW outlet

scottf200 · Jun 6, 2012

Tell me this is not COOL!!

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=76312&news_category_id=43" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

3/8/2012 Via Motors, Verizon Developing a Series Hybrid Van for Installers' Use
By Tom Berg, Senior Editor

Verizon Communications and Via Motors are developing a gasoline-electric series hybrid van for possible large-scale integration into Verizon's fleet. Based on a General Motors G-2500 cargo van, the hybrid system will be capable of generating on-site power as well as propelling the truck.

The plug-in system can run a truck for 40 miles, after which a gasoline engine starts to run a generator that charges batteries to feed power to an electric motor. The extended range then is about 400 miles.

However, the average landline installer's truck runs only 33 miles a day, so an eRev van's gasoline generator would seldom start up unless electric power were needed to run tools or energize a portion of a downed grid, said Ken McKenney, Verizon's sustainable fleet program manager.

A typical installer's van runs about 9,200 miles a year and averages 11 miles per gallon, he said. Fuel savings from the eRev system would be substantial because the fleet has about 12,000 cargo vans that are used as work trucks.

scottf200 · Jun 6, 2012

They even have a calculator for fleet managers (aka spreadsheet jockies).

http://www.viamotors.com/vtrux/life-cycle-savings-calculator/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RegGuheert · Jun 6, 2012

scottf200 said:
However, the average landline installer's truck runs only 33 miles a day, so an eRev van's gasoline generator would seldom start up unless electric power were needed to run tools or energize a portion of a downed grid, said Ken McKenney, Verizon's sustainable fleet program manager.

I guess this is the part that I don't get about EVs in general: Why not provide a 60-Hz inverter off the traction battery? For a car, the answer is likely that it opens the door for possible battery abuse.

But I know several people who do construction who have good-quality 12-V inverters in their vehicles so that they don't need a generator for most tasks that require AC. If you are building a series-hybrid EV specifically for linemen, why not produce the 60-Hz AC from an inverter running off the traction battery? Then you wouldn't be running the ICE every time you needed electricity.

scottf200 · Jun 6, 2012

RegGuheert said:
But I know several people who do construction who have good-quality 12-V inverters in their vehicles so that they don't need a generator for most tasks that require AC. If you are building a series-hybrid EV specifically for linemen, why not produce the 60-Hz AC from an inverter running off the traction battery? Then you wouldn't be running the ICE every time you needed electricity.

These trucks can power 240v equipment as well. They videos on the site show them using a welder as one example.

Did you read that the ICE must be running for the users to use the external power of 120v/240v? I did not read it either way.

Exportable power for the work site
An extended-range electric work truck comes with an optional onboard inverter that can be used in place of a tow-behind generator to power the workplace or provide emergency power. Some fleet customers say that with VIA’s E-REV work trucks, its almost like getting a free truck with their mobile generator!

RegGuheert · Jun 6, 2012

scottf200 said:
Did you read that the ICE must be running for the users to use the external power of 120v/240v?

Yes. That's what I read in my quote of your quote of their quote!

scottf200 said:
Exportable power for the work site
An extended-range electric work truck comes with an optional onboard inverter that can be used in place of a tow-behind generator to power the workplace or provide emergency power. Some fleet customers say that with VIA’s E-REV work trucks, its almost like getting a free truck with their mobile generator!

Click to expand...

O.K. That says that you can get an inverter as an option

scottf200 said:

It seems that the design is basically ICE->Synchronous Machine (60 Hz Generator)->Charger->Battery->Inverter->Synchronous Machine (traction).

scottf200 · Jun 6, 2012

Via this PRESS RELEASE today
June 6, 2012, 2:13 p.m. EDT
Bob Lutz to Address the Nation's Utility Fleets on the Electrification of America's Auto Industr
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bob-lutz-to-address-the-nations-utility-fleets-on-the-electrification-of-americas-auto-industry-2012-06-06" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

VIA introduced two electric work vehicles at the show: an extended cab pick-up truck and cargo van, both with 15 kW [15,000 watts] of exportable power. The onboard exportable power provides electric utility fleets with emergency response mobile power and additional "smart grid" capabilities.

Via: http://www.jobsite-generators.com/power_calculators.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Single Phase
120v & 15,000w gives 125 amps
240v & 15,000w gives 62.5 amps

Kilowatts (kW) 15 gives 19 kVA

Via Motors, Verizon Developing Series Hybrid Van 15kW outlet

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