Texas Startup Launches Hybrid Retrofitted Class 8 Tractor

ReVolt Promises 40% Fuel Savings With Electric-Diesel Hybrid

An Austin, Texas-based startup is promising 40% fuel efficiency savings and reductions in carbon emissions from a hybrid diesel-electric Class 8 tractor set to be unveiled at the end of March.

ReVolt Motors is retrofitting diesel Class 8 rigs with electric generators, which the company also promises eliminates the need for charging, nixing range concerns that often inhibit fully battery-electric truck adoption and eschewing the time needed to find a charging station and power up.

So far, the company — which has 30 employees — is retrofitting Peterbilt 379s. The trucks will have 3,500 pound-feet of torque and 670 horsepower.

Drivers can switch from using a diesel engine on the open road to operating just the generator in urban areas or zones with zero-emission mandates.

“Drivers should not have to choose between losing their longtime routes because of changing regulatory environments or losing the truck in which they have already made significant investments,” ReVolt founder and CEO Gus Gardner said.

“American truckers want their trucks to reflect their identity, and our retrofit technology allows them to continue driving the trucks they love while still making a living,” added the former Ball Corp. executive and investment bank analyst.

ReVolt’s hybrid system charges the truck batteries through the range extender and regenerative braking, with several patents filed for the company’s proprietary drivetrain engineering designs and software, Gardner said.

Retrofitting the ReVolt system also eliminates the need for a separate auxiliary power unit to power the sleeper cab without idling the main engine, aiding provision of heat and air conditioning.

The trucks can achieve at least 12 miles per gallon in targeted applications and generate about 40% in fuel savings, according to ReVolt. The hybrid system can slash carbon emissions by 40%, even with diesel fuel usage, it added.

ReVolt’s team built a working prototype in under seven months. A first test drive took place Oct. 31, and a second pilot truck has since been built for further street testing and data collection. The company recently completed high-altitude winterized testing in Colorado and is analyzing the results.

ReVolt already has customers. “Yes. More specifically, ReVolt was founded when a national specialty carrier was tired of waiting for companies who were missing the mark. We are currently in discussions with several potential customers and will announce our first fleet partner by the end of March,” Gardner told Transport Topics. “We are building fleet trucks and retrofits and moving deliberately to ensure we deliver value to customers in targeted applications. At full scale in 2027, or after, we anticipate delivering 12 units per month out of our Austin facility.”

Among the key executives alongside Gardner at ReVolt are Chief Technology Officer Chandra Patil and Director of Engineering Blake Witchie, both of whom previously worked at Hyliion.

Fellow Austin-based startup Hyliion folded up its hybrid Class 8 tractor ambitions in November 2023 to concentrate on the less costly commercialization of a stationary generator.

Some 175 Hyliion staff lost their jobs, with 67% of the company’s workforce being laid off, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Hyliion’s key transportation product was an electric powertrain installed in a Peterbilt Model 579 sleeper cab called the Hypertruck ERX. It too offered a retrofitted Class 8 electric hybrid powertrain.

Hybrid diesel and electric tractors are seen as a lower-cost path to cutting emissions, with a number of other companies offering another option to carriers unwilling or unable to pay for a fresh-off-the-lot battery-electric semi.

Omaha, Neb.-based eTruck Transportation also is retrofitting Class 8 diesel trucks. It retrofits Freightliner trucks.

Meanwhile, Merritt, British Columbia-based Edison Motors builds its own powertrain, chassis and cab.

Tandem Inc. offers a hybrid electric tractor and an electric refrigerated trailer, electric generator set, electric APU and electric auxiliary power system for box trucks.

Electrification of trailers to produce hybrid vehicles is a path also undertaken by Range Energy and Revoy. Range recently teamed up with German technology and components giant ZF for the electronic axles for its trailers.

About ReVolt Motors

Designed for American truckers, ReVolt Motors takes a common-sense approach to building a better truck. As the only U.S.-based company offering hybrid drivetrain technology, we provide commercial fleets and owner-operators with an affordable solution for meeting carbon emission mandates without compromising on power, reliability, or performance. Our trucks deliver superior fuel efficiency, exceptional torque and horsepower, and an unmatched driving experience. Learn more at www.ReVoltMotors.io.