Big Trucks in New York Going Hybrid

Odyne Corporation, headquartered in Hauppauge, Long Island, New York, is a company which develops plug-in hybrid electric motors and stored energy systems for heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and busses, which could weigh 20,000-80,000 pounds each.  Roger Slotkin is the chairman and CEO of Odyne, which recently became a publicly traded company, finds alternative solutions for trucks and other heavy vehicles which start and stop frequently, or are in “idle” much of the time. Mr. Slotkin explains that the electric motors in these vehicles get their energy from a battery pack that keeps its charge using a generator place on the vehicle, and also from brake systems which are able to convert kinetic energy into electric energy.

Among Mr. Slotkin’s vehicles is a converted diesel New York City garbage truck which is now a plug-in hybrid truck in Hempstead, Long Island, New York. According to Mr. Slotkin “bucket trucks equipped with plug in technology can idle all day “in zero emissions mode,” greatly reducing pollution and costs.”

Currently Mr. Slotkin is part of a project to convert 500 government cars in Mexico City into electric cars.