Innovative Natural Gas and Lead-Acid Battery Demonstration Vehicle Showcased at Missouri University of Science and Technology
6 Oct 2014
Lead-Carbon Natural Gas Hybrid Project Highlights Cost-Effective Automotive Technology
ST. LOUIS (October 6, 2014) – Today, The Doe Run Company (Doe Run) will help to educate mechanical, electrical and automotive engineering students about breakthrough energy research demonstrated in a new Dodge Ram 1500 HFE vehicle powered by natural gas and advanced lead-based batteries. In partnership with the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC), Doe Run brought the vehicle to the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) campus so professors and students can preview this technology, which will reduce carbon emissions, improve fuel efficiency and utilize natural resources to power affordable hybrid vehicles.
This new natural gas hybrid-electric start-stop vehicle (NGHV) approach was developed by ALABC, of which Doe Run is a founding member, and the NGHV Working Group, a collaboration of leaders in the natural gas and lead-acid battery industries.
“We are excited to show Missouri S&T students how battery innovations paired with new natural gas technologies can transform the automotive industry,” said Lou Magdits, director of raw materials at Doe Run’s Resource Recycling facility. “We know that a continued focus on cost-effective, environmentally friendly vehicles will drive the future of automotive manufacturing, so this demonstration will provide a unique learning opportunity for the next generation of engineers.”
Doe Run will display the Dodge RAM 1500 HFE vehicle from 9:00 a .m. to 2:00 p.m. at the McNutt Mall on Missouri S&T’s campus. Representatives will demonstrate the technology and answer questions from students studying electrification of vehicles, automotive design, electrical and mechanical engineering and alternative energy applications.
The NGHV project brings together two approaches that have until now been developed on separate tracks: compressed natural gas and off-the-shelf start-stop hybrid-electric technology using advanced lead-carbon batteries. By combining compressed natural gas and hybrid-electric technologies, the vehicle provides a cost-effective, safe and environmentally beneficial alternative to conventionally designed gasoline or diesel engine vehicles.
In addition to helping fund this energy research, Doe Run also plays an important role in meeting the world’s growing transportation needs in a sustainable way. Approximately 90 percent of Doe Run’s total lead production is used in lead-acid batteries like those needed in hybrid vehicles. The company’s Resource Recycling facility recycles more than 13.5 million lead-acid batteries, returning lead to the market for continued use.
The current Dodge RAM 1500 HFE demonstration vehicle represents the first phase of the NGHV project. The vehicle recently was tested at the Advanced Powertrain Research Facility of the Argonne National Laboratory as part of the U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies program. In coming months, the NGHV project will enter its second phase, in which a fully engineered vehicle of the same concept will be upfitted with other proven technologies to achieve even greater fuel economy and emission reductions.
About the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium
The Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium is an international research cooperative comprised of lead producers, battery manufacturers, equipment suppliers and research facilities organized to enhance the performance of lead-acid batteries for a variety of markets, including hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications and various energy storage systems. Founded in 1992 as a program of the International Lead Zinc Research Organization (ILZRO), the ALABC pools the resources of its global membership in order to perform specific research on advanced lead-acid batteries that otherwise would not be possible by any single entity. For more information about the ALABC and its accomplishments, visit www.alabc.org.
About The Doe Run Company
Based in St. Louis, The Doe Run Company is a privately held natural resources company and a global provider of lead, copper and zinc concentrates. Dedicated to environmentally responsible mineral and metal production, Doe Run operates one of the world’s largest, single-site lead recycling centers, located in Boss, Missouri. The Doe Run Company and its subsidiaries deliver products and services necessary to provide power, protection and convenience. Doe Run has operations in Missouri, Washington and Arizona. For more information, visit www.doerun.com and sustainability.doerun.com.