DAF puts the LF Hybrid truck into production

DAF will start production of the DAF LF Hybrid, a 12 tonne distribution truck with a parallel hybrid system, before the year is out. This follows a comprehensive field test where vehicles have been tested for two years in the most diverse practical applications in daily use with customers in Great Britain and on the Continent. The use of hybrid technology can lead to a reduction in fuel consumption and therefore CO2 emissions of between 10 and 20%, depending upon the application.

The DAF LF Hybrid uses a parallel diesel/electric hybrid system, where the truck is driven by the diesel engine, the electric engine or a combination of both. The truck is fitted with the 4.5-litre PACCAR FR diesel engine, which complies with the ultra-low EEV emission requirements as standard, without a soot filter. In the LF Hybrid, this engine produces a maximum power of 118 kW/160 hp and is linked to an automatic Eaton six-speed gearbox (Autoshift). An electric motor has been installed between the clutch and the gearbox, which can provide drive as well as functioning as a generator. Energy released during braking is stored in the lithium-ion batteries and reused when accelerating. Depending on the degree of charge of these lithium-ion batteries, a central computer determines when the diesel engine provides the drive and when and to what extent the electric motor is used. The battery pack for the hybrid system weighs around 100 kilos and consists of ninety-six 3.4 Volt cells. When these batteries are fully charged, the LF Hybrid truck can travel about two kilometres electrically without needing the diesel engine to drive it. In practice, this is enough to drive in and out of the "green zones" in city centres. The LF Hybrid is also fitted with a start/stop system. The DAF LF45.160 Hybrid is only 300 kilograms heavier in total than the standard model with a diesel engine alone.