Phoenix Drives powers hybrid truck
29 October 2012
John Deere manufacturing company Phoenix International is supplying its Phoenix Drives PD550-dual inverter as the main power electronics module in the MAN Metropolis hybrid truck.
The MAN Metropolis is an electrically-powered truck based on an MAN TGS 6x2-4. A lithium-ion battery supplies energy. Thanks to its plug-in function, the battery can be easily recharged at the nearest mains socket. A range extender makes it independent.
The truck can handle heavy duty transport tasks in a city environment without emissions and almost completely without noise, Deere said.
The PD550-dual can be used for diesel electric series architectures. Its rugged packaging can withstand the environments of construction and mining and is a good fit for on-highway truck use.
To test the practicality and the economic viability of the vehicle concept, MAN is placing the Metropolis on a two-year field test as a refuse collection vehicle for the international environmental-services provider, SUEZ Environnement, in the Antwerp-Brussels region, starting at the end of the year.
