Climate change and protecting the future of our planet are some of the biggest challenges of this generation. As one of the worlds’ leading manufacturers of off highway equipment Terberg Special Vehicles are leading the way with innovative new alternative fuel options across their product range.
Terberg were proud to introduce their first fully electric EV model in 2013. This led to the delivery of many units into mainland Europe but unfortunately not across the UK. Despite huge interest from the UK market, the increased capital cost and lack of incentives or financial benefits to the operator made the first generation Terberg EV too costly in the UK.
Undeterred, Terberg DTS (UK) have been in discussion with several major players about alternative fuelled vehicles looking in to the future. The Terberg Electric YT203-EV tractor is based on the new YT193, which from its conception has been designed with alternative drivelines in mind. During these discussions it has become apparent that not one fuel source will fit each application. The Terberg vehicle will be easily adaptable for the low emission stage V diesel engine, electric and hydrogen powerplants moving forward.
With the removal of tax benefits from Red Diesel from April 2022 the need to look for alternative fuelled off highway vehicles has accelerated. Electric vehicles offer the user a known power source to which they already have access. With the first mass produced electric car hitting the road in 1996 the infrastructure and knowledge is there to be built upon, however capacity will almost definitely have to be ramped up as the need for electric vehicles increases. A huge benefit of electric vehicles is their uniformity when it comes to charging. The user can charge their Terberg YT203-EV alongside a Nissan Leaf and use both whilst protecting the environment and making the operators required infrastructure more cost effective.
There are still some major hurdles and concerns to overcome with electric vehicles, the standing time whilst charging, the cost of batteries, the lifespan of batteries and the need to increase fleet size to accommodate charging time, to name a few.
Hydrogen power is another alternative fuel being invested in looking to the future. With the technology being relatively unknown to most, very little is known about costs, access to the fuel source and on site storage. However hydrogen offers a re-fuelling option similar to that of a combustion engine and facilitates continued use. There’s no doubt hydrogen has a future, however the market needs to fully understand the concept for it to gain traction.
Terberg DTS (UK) will deliver the new right hand drive YT203-EV demonstrator to the UK market later this year. Interest from the market is unparalleled with companies queueing up to trial the first unit. The new hydrogen demonstrator will be delivered in to the UK 2nd quarter of 2021 to much anticipation.
The almost forgotten alternative is LNG/LPG. Gas power is a more familiar fuel source for off highway operators. The engine functions in a similar way to a combustion engine. Natural gas is stored in a fuel tank, or cylinder with the fuel system transferring high pressure gas from the fuel tank through a regulator which reduces the pressure to a level that can fuel the engine. With natural gas being readily available this can be a popular alternative, however, is still classed as a fossil fuel and can only be a short term solution as the supply is not endless and will one day need to be replaced. Terberg will have LNG unit available for trails early 2021
Whilst the new technology is growing in popularity, cost remains a major challenge. A good number of operators have enquired about converting their existing equipment to be powered by electricity. This may be an option for clients to trial operationally before committing to a larger investment.
The one thing that can be certain is alternative fuels are no longer the future, they are here to stay. The only decision for the operators is which route to take. Terberg DTS (UK) are leading the market and are ready to work with clients on every step of the journey.
Terberg DTS UK
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