Ideanomics has announced that manufacturing has started on 18 zero-emission street sweepers featuring US Hybrid’s electric and hybrid electric propulsion kits. California-based Global Environmental Products (GEP) will manufacture and deliver the sweepers to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in the coming weeks.
At the same time, GEP will also manufacture seven additional zero-emission sweepers featuring US Hybrid technology for other customers.
“Together, US Hybrid and GEP are taking action to help cities transition some of the biggest, hardest to decarbonize specialty vehicles – like street sweepers – to zero-emission,” says Macy Neshati, chief commercial officer of Ideanomics. “We are doing this work right here in California, supporting a new generation of green jobs and developing cutting-edge zero-emission technology.”
US Hybrid manufactures its electric and hybrid electric propulsion kits in Torrance, California, and GEP manufactures all of its sweepers in California.
Caltrans has some of the toughest performance tests in North America for sweepers, the companies say. Vehicles must prove they can sweep more than 16,000 miles of diverse highways in deserts, mountains and urban environments stretching across the state. Last year, GEP’s zero-emission sweeper powered by US Hybrid’s electric and hybrid electric propulsion kit passed this test and entered service, doing post-winter sweeping in the High Sierras.
US Hybrid formed a strategic partnership with GEP, and, in 2022, the two companies began collaborating to develop 62 zero-emission street sweepers. GEP is producing zero emission sweepers for New York City, the City of South San Francisco, Washington D.C., and the City of Helena, Montana.
For sweeper drivers and city residents, the biggest benefit of zero-emission sweepers is the elimination of GHG emissions, pollution from burning fossil fuels, and a significant reduction in noise, Ideanomics says, adding that zero-emission sweepers will play an important role in helping cities achieve their climate goals faster. On average, a diesel-powered sweeper emits 90 metric tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere over its lifecycle.
Caltrans operates around 160 street sweepers. Electrifying this entire fleet will keep more than 14.400 metric tons of GHG emissions out of our atmosphere over the lifecycle, delivering the same climate benefits as keeping about 33,000 barrels of oil in the ground, Ideanomics says.
