Ten cargo vans in Montgomery County, Md., have been retrofitted with XL Hybrids' XL3 hybrid-electric drive system.
The hybrid-electric Ford vans are being used at the County Maintenance Department for plumbers, electricians and road safety crews. The vehicles support Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's goal to reduce Maryland's greenhouse-gas emissions 25% by 2020.
‘By converting 10 Ford cargo vans, we are already seeing over a 25 percent increase in miles driven per gallon – thanks to the XL Hybrids system – and we are expecting annual operating cost savings of tens of thousands of dollars overall,’ says William Griffiths, division chief of Montgomery County. ‘We have 149 vans in our fleet and expect to convert at least 10 additional vans with the XL Hybrids system in July of this year.’
‘With the XL Hybrids charge-sustaining powertrain, these vans will see reduced fuel usage, reduced carbon-dioxide emissions and a quick return on investment,’ explains Clay Siegert, co-founder and vice president of XL Hybrids. ‘This technology has greater than 99.9 percent availability, with no impact on fleet operations and maintenance schedules.’
