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Tucked in the heart of industrial Old Montreal, which has yet to be overrun by upscale condos and fashion boutiques, lies the headquarters of Effenco Hybrid Solutions. This small, relatively unknown company of 15 employees could quickly rise to fame. The SME has found a way to reduce heavy vehicle fuel consumption by up to 25%, reducing GHG emissions by the same stroke.
This innovation is a timely one, as 14% of the world’s direct greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). What’s more, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), GHG emissions grew faster in this sector than any other between 1990 and 2012.
The “Stop-Start” system
Effenco seeks to incorporate its hybrid “Start-Stop” technology into service vehicles, such as delivery trucks, city buses, terminal tractors, and garbage trucks.
First, the system tackles engine management. “We cut out parasitic consumption,” pointed out Effenco president and CEO Colin Ryan. When the truck stops, power to the engine is cut, but vehicle systems, such as trash compactors, climate control, etc., remain fully functional.
Plus, like hybrid vehicles, the system recovers the kinetic energy generated by braking. The downside is that most service vehicles often sit idle (between 50% and 65% of the time for garbage trucks, according to Effenco) and when they do move, they do so very slowly. As a result, braking does not generate a lot of energy.
While the environmental advantages are undeniable, so too are the economic advantages. According to Effenco, the system delivers fuel savings of 15% to 25%, as well as increased vehicle reliability because the reduced diesel consumption slows engine system clogging, making it a profitable investment.
Even though each system currently costs about C$30,000, “our system becomes profitable 18 months to 5 years after installation, depending on truck type and fuel prices,” estimated Benoit Lacroix, cofounder and vice president of sales and marketing at Effenco. “And the vehicles are quieter, which is a major selling point for cities like New York and London with big noise pollution issues.”
Tackling the market on three fronts
“There are 2 million vehicles in our market in Europe and North America, and every year 200,000 units are replaced. Ultimately, we could eliminate 30 million tons of GHG emissions,” explained Lacroix and Ryan. As for expected profits, the Montreal company may be sitting on a gold mine. The City of New York could be the next step in its path to success.
“New York has set in motion a very ambitious plan for reducing GHG emissions. It has already tested a hybrid system by Bosch, but the German company was unable to deliver the goods [GHG reduction tests were not convincing].”
So the Canadian company stepped in and its system is now being tested by municipal drivers in the Big Apple. “They have 2,200 garbage trucks and 6,000 buses, and we’re currently the only ones in the running,” said Lacroix. And since New York City alone replaces over 300 trucks in its fleet every year, landing the contract could be a very big deal for the Montreal SME.
“We installed the Effenco ‘Start-Stop’ system in one of our vehicles,” confirmed Belinda Mager, assistant director of public affairs for the New York sanitation department. “This vehicle is currently in our lab and may very well be tested on our streets. Studying this technology is a way to continue our efforts to cut GHG emissions.”
In addition, Effenco said it is currently in discussions with a major North American port to implement its system on terminal tractors. Apparently it is also poised to sign an agreement with a British heavy vehicle manufacturer (which it preferred not to name) to provide its technology as an option on new vehicles.
“We want a solution for right now, not tomorrow,” said Benoit Lacroix of Effenco. “We love all the Tesla vehicles and the all-electric principle, but the fact remains that in trucking, we’re just not there yet.”
For more information: http://www.effenco.com/home/
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