Efficient Drivetrains Completes California Energy Commission Vehicle Program

Efficient Drivetrains announced the completion of its California Energy Commission (CEC) program to build a fleet of six Plug-in-Hybrid Electric International-brand armored vehicles that feature range extension utilizing cleaner, renewable natural gas for end user fleet Sectran Security.

The fleet of six 26,000 pound, Class-6 medium duty armored trucks marks the creation of another industry-first for Efficient Drivetrains zero emissions PHEV trucks. The result is a fleet that operates with the same expected OEM performance while reducing emissions by up to 99.9 percent in certain duty cycles. The collaboration with the CEC is an exemplary program supporting the state of California’s rapid acceleration towards a zero emissions environment.

Fleet end user Sectran Security armored vehicles make frequent stops as part of their highly congested city routes in Southern California. At each stop, engines are kept idling for security purposes, but now risk violating California’s strict diesel idling regulations, which prohibit idling the engine for more than five minutes. With the modernized PHEV trucks, engine idling is eliminated entirely, by operating in all-electric mode during stop-and-go operations, and in hybrid mode using RNG during highway operations. By deploying the full fleet of six, the vehicles enable Sectran to reduce annual diesel consumption by 31,000 gallons, significantly reducing annual fuel costs and emissions.