Thomas Healy, CEO of electric transport company Hyliion, discusses sustainability
Based outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, electric transport company Hyliion is building electric powertrain solutions that may replace traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) powertrains in trucks. All the company requires for its system is a truck chassis.
Electric transport company Hyliion’s existing Hybrid EX technology already allows ordinary trucks to be converted to hybrids by adding batteries and a small form electric motor. Now they are replacing the ICE-powered truck’s powertrain with an electric motor and battery, introduced in their Hyliion Hypertruck ERX.
The main difference here is that the Hyliion Hypertruck ERX will utilize renewable natural gas (RNG) derived from organic waste emissions to power its generator. The generator then charges the Hypertruck ERX’s batteries which in turn powers the electric motor used to operate the truck’s rear axle. Overall, the RNG would significantly extend the ERX’s range when compared to a battery-powered all-electric truck, and easily refueled at RNG filling stations across the United States and Canada.
This technology also allows for 75 miles of emissions-free driving. According to Hyliion CEO Thomas Healy, large fleet operators prefer the flexibility of a product like the Hypertruck ERX over all-electric solutions. Although still considered an EV, the Hyliion Hypertruck ERX takes the power plant onboard the truck and is fueled by relatively inexpensive RNG, making it cost effective.
“We have fleets that are buying natural gas at around $1 per gallon, whereas, diesel, I think we’re seeing north of $5 in some areas of this country,” Healy stated in an interview with Yahoo. “When you look at an ROI, a payback of our product, that higher diesel fuel pricing allows us to even see a faster payback on our product.”
Although the ROI has yet to materialize, Healy and the investors of electric transport company Hyliion are anticipating a payout by 2024.
“As we go into the latter part of ’23 is when we’ll actually start shipping these units and recognizing revenue on them, and that’s really the system that we see as the game changer for this industry,” said Healy. “This industry is huge, 300,000 vehicles produced every single year, and our goal is to really go be the dominant powertrain to bring electrification into the long haul space.”