Chevy to Utilize Technology to Help Truckers Cut Carbon Dioxide Emissions
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STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images(DETROIT) — New technology is going to allow truckers to cut down on pollution on breaks during long trips.
Chevrolet has partnered with IdleAir to help long-haul truckers avoid idling their engines during rest breaks at truck stops. The technology “maintains a comfortable cabin temperature” and powers amenities without carbon dioxide emissions.
The system, GM says, saves a gallon of diesel fuel per truck per hour. It’s part of Chevy’s many carbon-reduction projects, committed to preventing up to eight million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
“It goes right into their window-space, if they roll it down. And then the driver can heat, cool, run their TV, run power, electrical outlets, for things like computers, or other conveniences — a coffee maker — all with the engine turned off,” said GM’s David Tulauskas.
Tulauskas said that the power used might even be green.
“Often this is done in the evening time, so you’re doing it in off peak hours where a lot of utilities around the nation are now starting to use more and more renewable energy,” he said.
With 30 stations across 12 U.S. states so far, Tulauskas says there’s a great deal of potential for cleaner air and reduced noise pollution in those communities.
“Eight, 10 hours saves eight to 10 gallons of fuel. Times that by 30 stations and you know, thousands of potential, or even millions of potential truckers going across America.”
The largest corporate buyer of voluntary carbon reduction credits in the U.S. in 2011, Chevy hopes to transform the way things are done in the auto industry and ultimately make the world a better place to live.
“If we want to leave the world a better place, we need to change the way we do things,” Tulauskas said. “Climate change, population growth, urbanization and other issues require our industry to transform itself. We are going beyond our traditional scope of responsibility – building efficient vehicles – into these community-based carbon-reduction projects to help demonstrate our commitment.”
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