Parker Hannifin Corp. has completed a one-year service trial of its pre-production fleet of Autocar E3 refuse vehicles equipped with the RunWise hybrid drive system, and says these vehicles have reduced fuel consumption by 43% compared to diesel-powered vehicles.
The pre-production vehicles are being used in the municipal fleets of Hialeah and Miami, Fla., and in Miami-Dade County. The City of Miami has purchased five additional Autocar E3s after operating one truck on city routes during the past year. Parker says municipalities in Texas, North Carolina and Indiana have also placed orders for the new vehicles.
‘The hybrid is faster, more dependable, experiences less noise in the cab and has not encountered any problems,’ says Scotty Rodgers, an operator for the City of Miami. ‘The truck moves very smoothly from stop to stop, allowing me to get through my route more quickly.’
Parker also notes that the vehicles being tested experienced 99% uptime during commercial use.
