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AVRC to help modernize city vehicles
Jul 03, 2009 (Danville Register & Bee - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
The Advanced Vehicle Research Center will be working with the city of Danville to modernize its municipal fleet and improve the fleet's energy efficiency.
AVRC is opening its new research center in the Cyber Park, a technology industrial park developed by Danville and Pittsylvania County.
The first project AVRC will work on is converting one of the city's three Toyota Prius hybrids into a true plug-in electric vehicle, with a docking station to recharge it at the Municipal Building.
AVRC's founder and program director, Richard Dell, said that despite rising power costs, electric-powered vehicles cost considerably less than gas-powered ones to operate.
"Electric is still cheaper," Dell said. "The equivalent cost to gas is about 70 cents compared to $2.70 a gallon."
Deputy City Manager Joe King said Danville will be testing a number of new technologies with ARVC to see if they save the city money over the long run.
King said another device that will be tested on utility and emergency vehicles stores energy generated by its engine that can be used to operate the vehicle's emergency lights and hydraulic lifts when the engine is turned off.
Dell said they have already done similar conversions in large refrigerated trucks that allow them to shut down while the driver takes a break or sleeps, and the stored energy operates the refrigeration system while the truck is turned off.
"Even idling, those trucks can use at least a gallon (of gas) an hour," Dell said. "To not have the truck on while the driver sleeps, that adds up."
King said he is looking forward to trying the different technologies.
"If (these technologies) actually save money, and have a less negative impact on the environment, we will deploy them across the whole fleet," King said. "But only if it makes economic sense."
In a news release, city and county leaders praised the new partnership between Danville and AVRC.
"AVRC's practical applications of cutting edge automotive technologies bring some real horsepower to the Cyber Park," Mayor Sherman Saunders said, noting that both city offices and the community would benefit from the partnership.
Coy Harville, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, said he sees the partnership as a great opportunity for the region.
"It gives me great pleasure to support AVRC and the city of Danville in a unique partnership that could improve energy efficiency and operating costs in location government operations," Harville said.
AVRC's Richard Dell said he expects the firm to receive its certificate of occupancy for its new Cyber Park building on July 20, and to start moving equipment in immediately. Grand opening celebrations are planned for Aug. 14 and 15.
In the meantime, the city is coordinating with the company through its temporary offices in Dan River Business Center and its Raleigh, N.C., location.
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