Channel NewsAsia 17 Nov 09;
Singapore: A green wave is set to hit streets and ports with a pair of eco-friendly Singapore vehicles.
ST Kinetics, the land systems arm of ST Engineering, unveiled on Tuesday the world's first commercially ready Hybrid Hydraulic Drive (HHD) enhanced port prime mover (PPM) which captures and re-uses the energy normally lost from braking, resulting in lower fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
The launch at the Changi Exhibition Centre also saw the roll-out of South East Asia's first diesel-electric hybrid bus.
ST Kinetics is working with Xiamen King Long to integrate the Singapore firm's hyPower hybrid electric technology into King Long's low-floor city buses which will be marketed and sold both in China and overseas.
According to a news release, ST Kinetics, King Long Singapore and Brickston Transport Service also agreed to a trial fleet of diesel-hybrid electric buses which offers fuel savings of up to 30 per cent.
Outside the flow of city traffic, ST Kinetics and PSA Singapore Terminals have agreed to put on trial the hyPower HHD system in a fleet of PSA's port prime movers since the technology is especially useful in heavy vehicles with much stop-start driving.
ST Kinetics also linked-up with Cargotec to incorporate its energy regenerative hyPower HHD systems into Cargotec's PPMs for sale worldwide.
Apart from fuel savings of up to 20 percent, the parallel hybrid system can be easily adapted to most commercial vehicle platform due to its compact, modular design.
The latest green vehicles from ST Kinetics is the result of a decade long investment in hybrid technology that has also produced a Hybrid Electric Tow Tractor currently in use at Changi International Airport Terminal 3; the Hybrid Electric Excavator launched in China; and the Ultra Temp Hybrid Refrigerated Truck Body in production in the US.
- CNA/sf
