Anybody who has ever passed by a rest stop in the middle of the night may notice a plethora of long-haul trucks parked in a row. Some of you may also notice that most of them are running, and may be puzzled as to why that is. This is because in an effort to stay comfortable while sleeping, truck drivers leave their massive diesel engines running to power the vehicle’s air conditioning/heating systems, as well as the television or whatever else they have running in their sleepers. This leads to several million metric tons of excess CO2 emissions each year. And if you believe Al Gore, CO2 is the primary reason why Planet Earth has been warming up lately.
So, in an effort to downsize CO2 emissions from trucks, IdleAir has presented a solution that allows truckers to have climate control and the ability to power their electronics without the use of their engine. A driver simply has to pull into an IdleAir space and apply a reusable plastic window adapter that is able to connect their cab to a heating and cooling air vent, TV, power outlets, internet and other conveniences. This is said to save drivers around one gallon of diesel fuel per hour compared to if their truck would otherwise be running at idle. It’s a neat thing, and Chevrolet (GM) is in full support, as it has been lately with a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
No details were given as to how Chevrolet will collaborate with IdleAir, but the two are looking to expand the availability of the forward-thinking system in the future. As we like to say here, stay tuned for more.
Comments
Sounds like a step in the right direction… if they don’t just tout it, and then bury it when the press dies down.
Sounds good in theory but in the real world doesn’t work that well. $2.09 per hour plus tax. The air-conditioning fits into an adapter in the passenger window and only cools the front it does not cool the sleeper. I have an electric air conditioner installed at the factory in my freightliner. Batteries charge while I’m driving and it will keep me cool for 10 hours. I have an auxiliary diesel heater that burns half a gallon of diesel in 10 hours. Three below zero in Fargo North Dakota right now I’m warm. They split the signal on the satellite TV so much the picture is fuzzy. They went bankrupt a few years ago. they were gone from the truck stops for 2 or 3 years when they came back they did not improve their product. they are 15 years out of date look for them to go bankrupt again.
Wont be adopted widely. To expensive to install and truckers wont like being forced to back out of a parking space.
These trucks are ideal candidates for “eAssist”. On the road, the electric assist will save fuel at traffic stops. At truck stops, just plug into an electric circuit, and keep all the accessories electric powered. Then they pay for the electricity which is cheaper and cleaner than the fuel they would burn under the same conditions.