UPS van retrofitted with hybrid powertrain

It was later last year that Parcel carrier UPS announced its plan to repower a considerable number of its van fleet with a locally-developed hybrid driveline. This would be a part of the parcel carrier’s global strategy to lower its carbon footprint. Designed and developed by engineering consultancy Revolve Technologies, the hybrid driveline would also serve to extend the useful service life of the company’s Mercedes-Benz Vario vans claimed sources. Using the Cenex 2015 Low Carbon event at Millbrook to present the hybrid drivetrain installed in a UPS Mercedes-Benz Vario van, Revolve Technologies took upon themselves to reveal the nature of the hybrid driveline. The hybrid system employs a Ford Focus diesel engine to act as a generator, which runs at one of the three fixed speeds depending on demand. It is optimised for emissions and consumption at 1,300, 2,200 and 3,200rpm. The battery and the power management system along with the P180 electric traction motor, which drives the rear wheels directly, are Magtec units produced in the UK. During braking the traction motor becomes a generator, recovering energy by producing electricity which is stored in the batteries. The new drivetrains, revealed Revolve Technologies sources, will be installed in the vans by Tevva Motors. The additional weight of the hybrid components, claimed Revolve sources, is offset to a degree by using a lighter diesel engine, and the drivetrain has no significant effect on the vans’ payload.