Your next utility emergency could be handled by a hybrid truck
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A variety of segments in the heavy-truck industry could be well suited to hybrid drivetrains, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is showing off a couple different types at its Hybrid Vehicle expo.
TXU was showing off its recently purchased hybrid-electric utility bucket trucks, developed by International and Eaton. The hybrid version is said to add approximately $30,000 to the $140K base price of the truck, and we're not sufficiently familiar with the economics of operating such a vehicle to say whether or not that investment will pay off (International has claimed a 30% improvement in fuel economy). Given the 20-year average service life of such a truck, though, there is plenty of opportunity for hybrids to demonstrate an economic advantage.
Peterbilt also teamed up with Eaton to show off a hydraulically-boosted garbage hauler. In this case, ignore the potential fuel savings for just a moment - we'd be happy if the truck could silently move from house to house at 5AM, instead of waking us with a roaring engine and shrieking brakes. In all seriousness, it's hard to imagine an application that's better suited to a hybrid drivetrain, and we're excited to see such a vehicle getting some attention.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Kerr 8:25PM (5/12/2006)
I don't know how long my local utility company holds onto their trucks, but the way they are driven suggests that they could easily be replaced by hybrids. That is, they rarely go long distances, are driven like they are fueled with liquified gold (slowly, perhaps because the driver's are sometimes paid by the hour?), though they do spend a lot of time "on site" with the engine idling...that may present a problem.
I imagine many municipalities could replace some of the vehicles in their fleets with hybrids. When I was in the military, I sometimes did security duty in a small truck that never went faster than 25 mph. There was no pursuit involved, thanks to radios. Then again, I don't think a hybrid would economically replace a small gas pickup truck.
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Ryan 9:08PM (5/12/2006)
More information on heavy hybrid trucks.
http://www.sae.org/ohmag/features/eblast/04-2006/11-14-2-19.pdf
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bhtooefr 11:51AM (5/13/2006)
#1 Howard Kerr: "Then again, I don't think a hybrid would economically replace a small gas pickup truck."
What if a small gas pickup truck were too small? But, if we're going with impractical, I don't think a hybrid would economically replace a Jetta TDI, either. ;)
That said, in many cases, companies ARE going to small gas pickup trucks - I see AEP's GMC Canyons running all over the place. Of course, a small diesel pickup truck would work quite nicely as well, if they just made the things... *sigh*
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dakota 5:26PM (5/13/2006)
Why are you people talking about small pickup trucks? Did you see the picture? How in the world are you going to have a man lift in the back of say a Colorado or Ranger? Try reading the article first and see what it says. "International..." "Peterbuilt...." uh duh!
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