Bright Automotive unveils 100 mpg hybrid truck

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Concrete

go easy on them guys

As in, "let's not throw out the engineering with the marketing drivel"?

According to this video:

• "around" 0.30 drag coefficient
• 2000 lb payload
• 3200 vehicle weight (vs. 5k lbs average competitor)
• 10 kWh pack (30 mile EV range ... but under what conditions)
• no windshield wipers!
• 2012 target
• the presenter said "they" worked on the EV1 for GM

YouTube - Bright Automotive

YouTube - Bright idea on the Road

[Hugh Jim Bissel]

>2012 target

Ah, so its a concept: and they'll have "real numbers" (read less impressive) once it gets closer to production. LOL

[Concrete]

the presenter said "they" worked on the EV1 for GM

Sounds like they have picked up and employed some of the believers
I think one of their top dogs worked the EV1 battery pack, or some such thing

Ah, so its a concept

yep, but this may be the time for concepts - money is scarce and oil is cheap
perhaps they will be ready when things rebound and gas is back to +$4 a gallon
if a company, Fritolay, UPS or who ever could make this work and invest in it
the next time oil spikes - they would be able to drive a stake in their competitors hearts
but it has to compete in cheap oil too - or will kill the early adopter instead

I think this could work

[Hugh Jim Bissel]

Originally Posted by Concrete

if a company, Fritolay, UPS or who ever could make this work
...
I think this could work

I hope it does (and that the production vehicles don't fall short of this concept model), though I wonder what sort of fleet they were planning on marketing towards: Fritolay, Fedx & UPS, at least from what I've seen, seem to favor the large box vans. It's about the same size as a USPS mail truck and phone/cable technician trucks, so that might be the area they're looking at. Also is probably about the right size for local courier type work. A couple of smaller local businesses I know (HVAC & electrician) traded in for some sprinters, which at least look a bit bigger. The HVAC'er was getting I think 24mpg (diesel). Even if the Bright ends up only pulling 30mpg "real world" continuous, the 30 "free" miles/day might make the tradeoff to smaller space worthwhile for some if gas goes up, or it's priced near it's competition, or any other number of qualifications. 2012 is a ways away yet; it'll be interesting to see how it progresses towards production.

[Concrete]

I'm sure for many applications this is too small
but I had a buddy that preferred a mini van to a pickup truck for his work contracting
if only 1 in 10 pickups converted to this sort of vehicle it would be a tremendous savings in oil

as for the practicality of the concept - At least it has mirrors

[Hugh Jim Bissel]

Originally Posted by Concrete

I had a buddy that preferred a mini van to a pickup truck for his work contracting

I sold my truck end of last year. It was the first I'd owned, and unless in the far distant future I need to pull 5th wheel trailers, it will likely be my last. I wish now I would have gotten a minivan or suv instead. It was my only vehicle for only a bit over a year, but The lack of room for passengers and little weathertight lockable cargo area made it very difficult to live with at times. After awhile, I was thinking even if I had gotten a cargo van I'd have been better off: I could have at least thrown a mattress or a loveseat in the back for 3+ person roadtrips. And if I could have gotten 40+mpg instead of 20 (at its best), that would have been doubly cool!

[MetroMPG]

Looks like the company picked up a US Military contract:

Anderson, Ind.-based Bright Automotive said today the U.S. Army's department of Tactical Communications (TACOM) plans to test the startup's plug-in hybrid vehicles in non-combat situations.

The aim of the $1.4 million demonstration project is to reduce fuel consumption in military vehicles. In addition, the contract calls for the Army to use the plug-in vehicles as sources of power for the electric grid.

[...]

In April, Bright unveiled its 100 mile-per-gallon plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle, the IDEA, targeted at the commercial and government fleet markets.

Bright says it was able to achieve the high fuel economy because it designed the vehicle from scratch, using lightweight materials, aerodynamic shapes, low-resistance tires, and highly efficient battery and drivetrain systems

[...]

The light truck weighs in at 3,200 pounds and has 1 ton of cargo capacity.
Bright said it expects to begin high volume produce by late 2012 and produce 50,000 of the vehicles annually by 2013.

Source: Bright Automotive scores military contract | Cleantech Group

[Frank Lee]

Seems they blew their chance at an easy $10,000,000 by not entering the X-Prize?

[MetroMPG]

I haven't scoured for range/efficiency details about the vehicle, but I doubt they'd manage to meet the X-Prize 100 MPGe target with a van.

[elhigh]

I like the shape - it smacks of MB's boxfish concept. And splitting up the electric and petrol drivetrains, while heavier than siamesing them under the hood, does make installation a lot easier - you could hog out one or the other if something was amiss, and drop in a replacement for quick turnaround, or even operate the vehicle as a shortrange electric only, or full petrol until the hybrid bits are back in order.