US: Hybrid truck technology lags behind electric cars

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06-13-2008, 01:01 PM

GeekGal

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US: Hybrid truck technology lags behind electric cars

Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas) pointed out in a hearing this past Tuesday on Capitol Hill that both consumers and the trucking industry could benefit from the advances in hybrid technologies.

Quote:

"Hybrid commercial trucks, which run partially on electric power, have greater potential to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions than their smaller and more widely available counterparts, such as Toyota's Prius.

In fact, the United States' 90,000 garbage trucks use as much fuel as 2.5 million passenger vehicles, according to the Oshkosh Truck Corp., a specialty truck designer and manufacturer. So the environmental savings of switching even a small percentage of trucks to hybrids could be huge. The Eaton Corp., an industrial manufacturer working with hybrid technology, reports that 10,000 hybrid electric trucks would cut diesel fuel consumption by 7.2 million gallons per year, keeping 83,000 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere."

Source -> http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=23528

Elsewhere in the article it mentions that Coca-Cola has the largest fleet of hybrids in the USA, and even they only have a little over 140 hybrid vehicles. Time to kick it up a notch, methinks. UPS is starting to run a few more hybrids, and local utilities and such have been doing it for awhile (I have a pic up here, I think, of the City of Coppell, TX Water Board's hybrid Ford Escape--one of several in '05; and we have Prius in our City Code Compliance fleet here in San Antonio (not all, but a few.)

Last edited by GeekGal; 06-13-2008 at 01:12 PM.

06-13-2008, 02:18 PM

BigTuna

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Re: US: Hybrid truck technology lags behind electric cars

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeekGal

Elsewhere in the article it mentions that Coca-Cola has the largest fleet of hybrids in the USA, and even they only have a little over 140 hybrid vehicles. Time to kick it up a notch, methinks. UPS is starting to run a few more hybrids,....

I think both UPS and the USPS have orders in for 200 hybrids each.

Searching......

Found em:

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...14/086893.html

Quote:

UPS 'Green Fleet' to expand with 200 Hybrid Electric Vehicles and 300 Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles

I'm starting to wonder if the USPS article was a mistake since it is gone. It is still cached by Google so I'll post the quote...

Quote:

U.S. Postal Service seals the deal for fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles

To expand its ‘green’ fleet, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) recently placed an order for 300 vehicles that run on compressed natural gas, as well as 200 hybrid electric vehicles.
By Kristin Atwater

It is too weird that the order is exactly the same and that the language is so similar....

Last edited by BigTuna; 06-13-2008 at 02:35 PM.

06-15-2008, 06:45 AM

alteredsego

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Re: US: Hybrid truck technology lags behind electric cars

Beyond commercial vehicles I would like to see a decent option for la ight duty hybrid truck on the road. For some people it is useful to own a truck with some sort of AWD transmission, and not just for some image oriented desire. As someone who lives close to the Alabama/Georgia border, I have to deal with older roads occasionally (you get what you pay for with lower Alabama taxes) that are washed out or otherwise in need of repair, and having some sort of off road capability is a practical need on ocassion. I know that you can get a FEH, but really all I want is either a small spartan suv, or a small truck; perhaps with a detachable bed cover that improves the vehicle aerodynamics. Something that has a little bit of ground clearance, but not so much to really hurt you drag coefficient. I do not need towing capacity or large engines for moving quickly. I have an 03 HCH, and I do not see why that size engine would not work in such a vehicle. The original ****** jeep had a 60hp engine and a curb weight similar to my civic, and it managed. (Yes I know it was slow and had no safety items included in that package, but it was also made out of forged steel, had 27 less hp out of the ICE, and no electric motor.) I just think that there are plenty of green oriented people, that could benefit from the utilitarian benefits of light, environmentally friendly, truck for light hauling and day to day use.

Last edited by alteredsego; 06-15-2008 at 06:47 AM.

07-09-2008, 07:06 AM

jbo55

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Re: US: Hybrid truck technology lags behind electric cars

I agree that there should be a better option out there for people who care about the environment and don't wanna break the bank at the dealership or at the gas pump. My guess is that a stripped-down truck like this doesn't exist because the auto companies think it wouldn't sell, but I think they are wrong about that. The best options out there right now are the Escape and Tahoe Hybrids, but they aren't trucks. Chevy is supposed to have a hybrid Silverado soon, but all three of these vehicles are so dang expensive. Smaller pickups like the ranger and colorado are more reasonably priced, but they get 24 mpg overall at best. Wouldn't a hybrid pickup similar in size to a ranger/colorado/tacoma be a good option? Maybe I'm crazy, but I think it would sell pretty well as long as it had towing capabilities comparable to the gas versions.