Calculator screen shot.

The calculator, which may be accessed at www.eaton.com/hybridvalue, compares the estimated costs associated with operating a vehicle equipped with a hybrid electric powertrain versus those associated with a non-hybrid powertrain. The calculator provides the information for two vocational truck types: delivery and utility.

For delivery vehicles, estimated savings are determined according to: typical truck life; typical annual miles driven; and typical miles per gallon of current fleet. For utility vehicles, estimated savings are determined according to those same three factors, plus: typical hours at work site per day; typical working days per year; and typical idle gallons per hour.

The calculator provides estimated price, savings and payback figures according to three scenarios—worst conditions, typical conditions and best conditions. A bar chart with information on estimated percentage of fuel usage, and subsequent driving and work site savings, is also displayed.

The calculator also allows the buyer to include any tax incentives, rebates or grants that may be offered for the use of alternative fuel or hybrid power systems in commercial vehicles in their area. Hybrid-powered commercial vehicles can today be certified for US federal tax credits of $12,000 per vehicle, and numerous other regional and local incentives are available.

Eaton recently announced that its medium-duty hybrid power systems (earlier post) are commercially available on the chassis of several North American commercial vehicle manufacturers.