Odyne, Inland Power team for $45 million hybrid truck contract

Odyne Systems and Inland Power Group have teamed up to deliver on a $45.4 million contract from the Department of Energy to install more than 120 Odyne plug-in hybrids systems on work trucks to be deployed throughout North America. Together, Odyne and Inland have added over 12 jobs to support the contract, which is administered through the Electric Power Research Institute.

Odyne was selected for the award in the medium- and heavy-duty truck category because its plug-in hybrid system is the only one on the market that reduces fuel consumption both while driving and at the work site, enabling companies and government fleets to reduce operating costs, while also better meeting sustainability objectives, the company says.

The Odyne hybrid system, featuring Johnson Controls lithium-ion batteries and a Remy advanced electric propulsion motor proven in over 2 billion road miles, can reduce fuel consumption by up to 50 percent or greater depending upon the duty cycle, lower emissions and allow large work vehicles to operate quietly at a work site.

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Odyne worked with Allison Transmission, an equity partner with a non-controlling interest in Odyne, to seek out Inland Power Group, one of the largest Allison distributors in the U.S as a manufacturing partner.

“We are excited to be working with Inland Power Group on this project. Odyne has a passion for innovation and delivery of reliable, high quality advanced hybrid system solutions,” says Joe Dalum, president and CEO of Odyne and the 2013-2014 Green Truck Association President. “Inland has the qualifications, resources and experience needed to provide additional manufacturing capacity to quickly meet growing demand. Odyne looks forward to further expansion in cooperation with other companies within the broader global Allison distribution and dealer network.”

Inland Power re-purposed a 12,000 square-foot warehouse facility in Butler, Wis., to provide sub-assembly, installation and testing of the hybrid systems.

“Inland Power Group prides itself on being flexible and receptive to unique manufacturing opportunities, and our team is excited to be part of this cutting edge project,” says Dick Bossert, vice president/GM at Inland, which has a staff of 9 currently working full time on the Odyne project.

The relationship with the Allison Transmission distributor compliments Odyne’s strategy to establish a highly scalable manufacturing network capable of integrating the Odyne hybrid system during the new vehicle build process on trucks over 14,000 pounds, or installing systems on existing vehicles to upgrade efficiency, the company says.

Odyne’s contract marks a significant step toward high-volume production of plug-in hybrid systems that are integrated with a wide variety of truck chassis and work seamlessly with robust, industry leading transmissions from Allison.