AirRoad is now trialling another green option by adding hybrids to its local fleet of trucks and trailers. The new trucks consume measurably less fuel than comparable vehicles and are highly efficient machines, thereby improving productivity. These trucks contribute 20 to 30 per cent fuel savings and even meet Japan’s new long term emission standards which are tougher than Euro V emission standards.

 

One of the more interesting features in these trucks is ‘idle-stop’, which switches off the 4.0 litre diesel engine when the truck is not in motion. Regenerative braking means that the vehicle is also able to capture energy that is normally lost as heat through mechanical braking.

 

There is no need for an external power source to ‘recharge’. The vehicle generates its own electricity while on the move and through regenerative braking. This energy is then stored in a high voltage battery till the next time it is required to power the truck.

 

New hybrids in the fleet are only a part of the bigger picture. In the past, AirRoad has also conducted a carbon audit to check its carbon emissions and was the winner of the Environmental Excellence Award in 2008.