GE already makes a train locomotive that draws on a battery, much the way a hybrid-electric car does. The high-temperature sodium battery allowed GE to reduce diesel fuel consumption by about 10 percent.
To reduce consumption another 10 percent to 20 percent, GE has developed software called Trip Optimizer, which gives train engineers an in-cab dashboard that provides guidance on how to drive in a way that minimizes the amount of fuel they are using. It's an example of how GE is working both on the components--batteries, electric engines, power electronics--to make locomotives more efficient as well as on the overall package, executives said.
The company intends to apply the technology developed for its train products to heavy vehicles, such as waste disposal trucks or school buses, researchers said. It has also invested in lithium ion start-up A123 Systems.
Photo by Martin LaMonica/CNET News.com
Caption by Martin LaMonica
