Kenworth » T680 HECT

The prototype of the Kenworth T680 tractor with a parallel hybrid electric propulsion system debuted at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in 2018. It was created as part of the Hybrid Emission Cargo Transport (HECT) demonstration project, which is partly funded by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the U.S. Department of Energy and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

The Kenworth T680 HECT truck uses the Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero (NZ) emission engine, which operates on compressed natural gas, complete with a generator to expand the range of truck batteries. Thanks to the energy accumulated in lithium-ion batteries, the Kenworth T680 HECT can drive up to 30 miles (50 kilometers) on an electric drive. When the batteries are depleted, the near-zero emission engine turns on to generate more energy and extend the truck’s range up to 250 miles.

Kenworth’s partner in developing the truck’s parallel hybrid electric propulsion system is BAE Systems. The system’s energy management and control capabilities ensure that energy generated by the engine and regenerative braking system is appropriately distributed through the dual-rotor electric motor, resulting in lower fuel consumption.