Hybrid Large Trucks: the Road to Viability
January 2009, Work Truck - Feature
by Chad Simon
Thirteen utility fleets that wanted to cut their dependence on foreign oil and combat global warming purchased and evaluated hybrid trucks through the help of WestStart-CALSTART. Consider them early stalwarts or trailblazers of an unproven technology in medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
Work Truck surveyed five participating Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF) fleet managers to learn how they have benefited from implementing hybrid trucks for their specific application.
- WestStart-CALSTART is a nonprofit organization that supports and accelerates the growth of advanced transportation technologies among both public and private sectors.
- The Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF) is a national, multiyear, user-driven program that assists the commercialization of heavy-duty hybrid technologies. Operated by Bill Van Amburg, senior vice president of CALSTART, HTUF is supported by the U.S. Army’s National Automotive Center (NAC) and the Hewlett Foundation.
- HTUF Working Groups are targeted, user-driven teams made up of leaders from commercial and military fleets interested in using hybrid trucks in a specific application. The seven Working Groups are: Hybrid Utility Truck, Hybrid Parcel Delivery Truck, Hybrid Refuse Truck, Hybrid Bus, Plug-In Task Force, Incentives, and Class 8 Over the Road/Regional Delivery.
