Eielson's GOVs going green

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachelle Coleman
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The 354th Mission Support Group received Eielson's first dry-lease hybrid car, leading the way to a "greener" vehicle fleet at Eielson.

The 2011 Ford Escape hybrid was ordered through a dry lease from the General Service Administration to fill an authorization, allowing it to be maintained by Eielson vehicle maintenance Airmen. The first hybrid car assigned to Eielson, which arrived last year, is used by the civil engineer squadron through a wet lease and is maintained by an outside agency.

The Air Force seeks to reduce fuel demand, while maintaining mission effectiveness, through increased operational and logistical efficiencies. Eielson Airmen strive to meet the Air Force's "go green" initiatives every day, finding new ways to reduce fuel consumption and reduce energy.

A two-wheel-drive Escape Hybrid should be able to deliver close to 30 mpg in real-world city and highway driving. Its power train consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, a pair of electric motors and an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission that basically works like a regular automatic transmission.

Under full acceleration, both power sources work together to provide maximum power, but under lighter load conditions, such as stop-and-go traffic, the Escape Hybrid alternates between the two, often running purely on battery power. A regenerative braking system converts energy normally lost as heat into electricity to recharge the car's batteries.

"Last year we decided that we needed to be more fuel efficient in order to meet [the] PACAF mandated two percent reduction in fuel consumption each year," said Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Melton, 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle operations vehicle fleet manager.

While the vehicle maintenance is very similar to a regular car, vehicle repair technicians must undergo additional training as a safety precaution.

"Extra training is needed because it's a high voltage system and it can kill you," said Mike Cordell, 354th LRS vehicle operations vehicle repair technician. "So there are some special safety precautions you have to use to disable the system before you work on certain parts of the vehicle."

While the vehicle maintenance technical school touches on hybrid car maintenance, the flight coordinated training with an outside training agency for a four-hour course.

According to Sergeant Melton, no more hybrids are currently slated to arrive, but if the right vehicle authorization comes down this year more could possibly be assigned. Government vehicles are replaced every three to four years.

By working together to learn more about maintenance of hybrid vehicles, Eielson Airmen ensure we are prepared to save time in addition to energy when new GOVs arrive, and in the regular maintenance of our current "green" fleet.