Indy Speeds Toward Role as Hybrid Hub
While in spring time Indiana’s thoughts generally turn from high school hoops to auto racing, Indianapolis last week launched a more than $200 million plan to put the region on the lead lap of the race to be a leader in hybrid vehicle technology.
The Indianapolis Star reports area business leaders are calling the effort the Energy Systems Network and says the effort hopes to draw on technical resources already in the region to create a hybrid economy.- » See also: Is the Renault-Nissan Alliance Going in Two Different Electric Car Directions?
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The network would bring together engineers and thinkers from top central Indiana companies and schools including Cummins Diesel, Allison, Bright Automotive, Delphi, Duke Energy, EnerDel, I-Power Technologies, Ivy Tech Community College and Purdue University. The Rocky Mountain Institute, a Colorado think tank, is also part of the group. They hope to work on projects that would ultimately be produced in the Hoosier state.
The first two projects, the paper said, would be an electric truck recharged at wall outlets in Indianapolis and a diesel hybrid system for heavy work trucks. Organizers said the hybrid would be marketed to companies with truck fleets such as delivery vans and garbage trucks.
There is no timetable for the project’s completion. Delphi, which is seeking $200 million in federal help for the project, would lead the development of the diesel hybrid system. The system would include parts from Cummins’ diesel, Allison’s transmission, Delphi’s electronics and EnerDel’s lithium-ion batteries. Start-up Bright Automotive, in Anderson, would supply the electric truck.
Aside from the obvious racing history in Indianapolis, Indiana has strong green automotive ties too. GM’s Remy offices in Anderson helped create the now infamous EV1. Allison Transmission in Indianapolis a center for hydrid development too. Indy is already working on putting vehicle charging stations in place.
The trick is getting all these plans from the press conference stage to the production stage. Indiana officials sound very positive, saying Indiana can develop a 21st century manufacturing economy. There’s reason for optimism with new electric truck investments and companies such as Walmart showing interest in diesel hybrids.
“If this is successful, and I’m confident it will be, this will be great for the state of Indiana,” said Joseph Loughrey, the former vice chairman of Cummins who will be the chairman of the new network.
Photo credit: NichCollins Flickr Stream, via a Creative Commons License.
