Dump trucks are the last thing you think of looking sexy (except perhaps, Joan Rivers), but Mitsubishi’s new concept design turns that thought upside down and presents a sexy vehicle with some nice green credentials.
Called the Canter Eco-D, this light-duty dump truck sports a hybrid diesel and electric drivetrain in a parallel configuration. In other words, according to Autobloggreen, both the 3.0 liter diesel engine, the 35 kW electric motor or a combination of the two can power the vehicle at any time. In addition, when the vehicle is stationary (say for loading and unloading) the electric drivetrain kicks in for zero-emissions operation and quiet idle. Power is supplied by a large lithium ion battery pack. From the press release,
“The cab structure also is optimized for functionality. The side doors utilize the whole of the side panel, and are hinged at the rear to makes it easy to get in and out of the cabin at narrow door angles - particularly useful when working in restricted spaces. The expansive glass roof above the driver incorporates a state-of-the-art liquid crystal laminate that adjusts the level of sun screening in line with the strength of the sunlight. In addition to regulating the proportion of light transmitted, harmful rays are cut in proportion to the levels of infrared and ultraviolet light. This provides fine control of the cabin temperature, and contributes to energy saving by optimizing air conditioner usage, even when working under a hot sun.”
Nice dump truck, right? Expect this concept to actually hit the roads in coming years.
