Despite the numerous hard lockdowns and employees shifting towards the hybrid working model, South Africa still finds itself on the red list for producing the highest transport emissions worldwide.

According to new research published by Moneybarn, South Africa is ranked the highest when it comes to producing the most C02 emission from transport. With an estimate of 4,859 grams of C02 per journey makes them and Lebanon (4,621g) the only countries to produce more than 4,500 grams of CO2 per journey. (1)

At current emission rates averaging six and a half tonnes per person per year, before 2030, temperatures may have increased by an average of 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) over pre-industrial levels, which is the limit for the G7 countries and the aspirational limit of the Paris Agreement. (2)

Transport accounts for around one-fifth of global CO₂ emissions. Road travel accounts for three-quarters of transport emissions. Most of this comes from passenger vehicles – cars and buses – which contribute 45.1%. The other 29.4% comes from trucks carrying freight. Transport demand is expected to grow across the world in the coming decades as the global population increases, incomes rise, and more people can afford cars, trains and flights. In its Energy Technology Perspectives report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects global transport (measured in passenger kilometres) to double, car ownership rates to increase by 60%, and demand for passenger and freight aviation to triple by 2070. Combined, these factors would result in a significant increase in transport emissions. (3)

However, if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, the rise in global temperatures would begin to flatten within a few years. Temperatures would then plateau but remain well-elevated for many, many centuries. There is a time lag between what we do and when we feel it, but that lag is less than a decade.

While the effects of human activities on Earth’s climate to date are irreversible on the timescale of humans alive today, every little bit of avoided future temperature increases results in less warming that would otherwise persist for essentially forever. The benefits of reduced greenhouse gas emissions occur on the same timescale as the political decisions that lead to those reductions.

Without major action to reduce emissions, global temperature is on track to rise by 2.5 °C to 4.5 °C (4.5 °F to 8 °F) by 2100, according to the latest estimates. (4)

But there may still be time to avoid or limit some of the worst effects of climate change.

We know that proven hydraulic-hybrid regenerative-braking technologies can significantly increase fuel economy, reduce particulate and greenhouse emissions, and reduce maintenance costs for larger vehicles with high dynamic-driving-cycle operations. The technology has been around for decades, and millions of vehicles on the road are suited for hydraulic hybrid use.

So, what’s stopping us from cutting fuel use and emissions in half for millions of vehicles?

While the world focuses on pure electric and electric-hybrid vehicles, there is minimal attention on the hydraulic-hybrid solution, a field in which MISER® aims to be the leader. Unlike electrical systems, which are still prevented from scaling because of technology constraints, MISER® can comfortably be fitted to a range of vehicles – from small cars to very large excavators and commercial vehicles.

Ducere Holdings (Pty) Ltd., who started building the first prototype of MISER®-HKS in 2016, is a solely owned South African company, delivering multiple solutions and ground-breaking patented designs with its MISER® hybrid technologies, specialising in the efficient use of energy through the development of energy-recovery and deployment technologies. Affiliated to Innovate UK, MISER® HKS also works closely with MISER® UK to develop the technology in the UK, working closely with the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, upskilling future engineers.

With the critical purpose of saving fuel and reducing emissions, the new HKS solution is an affordable, more efficient hybrid propulsion system available to the local market to reshape the way the world uses green transport. MISER®HKS provides differentiated solutions that improve the efficiency of vehicles already on the road. The essential objective is to make diesel engines more efficient and cleaner.

“MISER-HKS is a retrofit solution utilising efficient regenerative braking and our industry-leading engine optimisation. The system does not replace any of the existing drivetrain’s components and can be completely disabled without affecting the vehicle’s existing drivetrain functionality.

Why the MISER® Hydraulic Hybrid Propulsion System keeps Ducere Holdings involved at the forefront of today’s automotive hybrid technology:

  • More efficient than competing systems due to only one pump/motor running and no parasitic pump charging at any time.
  • Mechanically simpler than competing systems due to fewer working parts.
  • The application includes a comprehensive vehicle range – from smaller cars to the largest earthmoving vehicles. Applicable to all drive cycles.
  • Fully automated.Little change to the current vehicle manufacturing infrastructure.
  • Applies to petrol-, diesel- and electric-powered vehicles.
  • Our open-loop-over-centre hydraulic pump delivers some significant advantages.

Key capabilities

  • Significant fuel saving.
  • Significant reduction of emissions.
  • Overall lower cost of ownership for the vehicle/fleet owner.
  • Aggressive ROI periods allow improved bottom lines.
  • Cutting-edge hybrid solutions are under development, including hydraulic-electric and ICE-hydraulic-electric.
  • Future developments include solar wind utilities and extensive transport (trains, mining, etc.) solutions using the MISER® technology.

“There is a growing body of research promoting the fact that a combination of electrics and hydraulics results in a better electric car,” says André Reyneke, Managing Director and co-founder of Ducere Holdings. Reyneke says the hydraulic system is significantly more efficient than the typical regenerative ability of an electric drive. “An electric vehicle is about 30% efficient in regenerative braking mode, where hydraulics achieve around 70% efficiency”, he explains.

The future of sustainable development will be a low-carbon circular economy driven by new tech and energy sources, with success dependent on collective ambition and commitment. This brings several possibilities into play. The more efficient regenerative braking could mean up to a 30% increase in range in a town-drive cycle”, he states.

Contact us on +27 11 025 1812 or info@ducere.co.za for a chat.

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