Capacity of Texas, the company that built the first plug-in hybrid yard goat, called the Pluggable Hybrid Electric Terminal Tractor (PHETT) has teamed with Vision Motors of California, who make the Tyrano day-cab hydrogen fuel-cell tractor.  Capacity plans to take the drive train of the Tyrano and put it into a PHETT to make a new hydrogen-electric, fuel cell yard tractor.

The new tractor will be called the ZETT (Zero Emissions Terminal Tractor) and will be built using the PHETT platform and the Tyrano’s power plant.

The idea is novel and a very good one, with Capacity’s president, Phillip Ford, pointing out that the ZETT will be capable of 2 full 8 hour shifts (16 hours) of operation before needing refuel with hydrogen, a huge advantage over normal battery-electric terminal tractors which usually last half that.  The ZETT requires fifteen minutes to refuel with hydrogen, versus at least that long to swap batteries or several hours to recharge batteries on a battery-electric.

The PHETT, Capacity’s hybrid, is a plug-in that can run on battery power for a partial shift, but uses a standard diesel engine for most of its power generation to avoid requiring recharge during a working shift.

The new ZETT will be both quieter, more efficient, and have no emissions (particulate or otherwise) while in operation.  Since terminal tractors (“yard goats” or “hostlers”) typically work in urban or fixed-location environments, the advantages of this technology are obvious.

Related posts:

1. Port of LA Approves $1.4M Contract With Vision Motors for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks
2. Vision Receives Letter of Intent From Total Transport for 100 Tyrano Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks