ECON Engineering is looking at alternative fuels to power its gritters and two possibilities for the North Yorkshire based company, that makes 85% of the UK’s winter road maintenance vehicles, are hydrogen and Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which is currently being trialled by truck manufacturer, DAF.
At this stage it, and the rest of the winter maintenance sector, doesn’t see electric power as an option, as in severe weather gritters need to be working almost 24 hours a day, with just short periods off the road for re-fuelling and re-loading their grit hoppers.
Whilst the use of hydrogen in HGVs is still in the experimental stage, HVO is already in use by a small number of DAF truck fleet operators. It can be used in any diesel engine, either on its own, or mixed with red or white diesel and is 90% cleaner than its red and white counterparts.
