Hyliion's ERX is a fully electric, battery-powered drivetrain kept charged by a natural gas generator. The company expects to begin production late in 2023 or early in 2024. It represents a significant step toward decarbonization using an energy source that's already cleaner and less expensive than diesel. It has a range of about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) on a single tank of fuel. The truck is still in development, so specifications might change before production begins.
The ERX Hypertruck is an off-the-shelf Peterbilt 579 with few modifications to the cab or driver interface. It's quiet inside, even with the range extender engine running, and with a total of 670 hp at the wheels, it pulls better than any truck I've ever driven. The driver has access to a full 670 hp and gobs of torque under his feet. In a skilled driver's hands, this could easily be a one-pedal truck with almost no need to touch the brake. Hyliion's ERX Hypertruck runs on renewable natural gas.
Methane is a form of methane recovered from sources such as landfill sites, manure ponds, and biomass digesters. In California, more than 90% of the natural gas consumed for transportation fuel is RNG.
