Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. announced a high-profile partnership to develop a Class-4 vehicle that combines the benefits of compressed natural gas (CNG) and PHEV technology. EDI will integrate its PHEV powertrain with a baseline CNG-powered Greenkraft Class-4 medium-duty (14,500 GVWR) truck. In partnership with Greenkraft, CALSTART, and the California Energy Commission, the collaboration supports the rapid movement in California toward a zero emissions environment.

The effort combines EDI's intelligent PHEV powertrain with Greenkraft's CNG-powered 14,500-pound, Class-4 medium-duty truck. EDI's solution can improve the fuel economy of a conventional CNG-powered medium-duty truck by more than 40%. In certain duty cycles with shorter daily mileage requirements or where periodic plug-in recharging is possible throughout the day, it may even be possible to completely eliminate the use of CNG, achieve 100% all-electric zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) operations, and achieve an effective MPGe of 26.9--an improvement of 300% over the baseline CNG truck.