Navistar Expands Hybrid Truck Line with New Hybrid Tractor
14 October 2008
At this week’s Hybrid Truck Users Forum in South Bend, Ind., Navistar unveiled an additional hybrid truck configuration—the International DuraStar Hybrid tractor—which targets general freight haulers and food/beverage distributors.
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| The new hybrid tractor. |
The diesel-electric hybrid Class 7 tractor can deliver fuel savings from 20-25% in a standard in-city pickup and delivery applications. The DuraStar Hybrid emits up to 33% less hydrocarbon emissions and 35% less NOx emissions compared to standard diesel trucks.
International DuraStar Hybrid trucks employ a parallel-type, diesel-electric hybrid architecture that is supplied by Eaton Corporation. (Earlier post.) The medium-duty hybrid system uses a parallel, pre-transmission design with Eaton’s Fuller UltraShift automated transmission. Primary components are the Hybrid Drive Unit (HDU), which combines a clutch, a 44 kW/420 Nm motor/generator and automatically controlled manual transmission; the motor inverter/controller; the DC/DC converter; and a 340V 2 kWh li-ion battery pack.
Navistar, which announced in November 2007 that it was the first company to enter line production of hybrid commercial trucks, currently has more than 300 International hybrid trucks and IC Bus hybrid school buses in operation around North America delivering improved fuel economy and reduced emissions.
Why not a hydraulic hybrid. But at least it is a hybrid.
..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 14 October 2008 at 10:45 PM
It always takes a little guts to go out as the first manufacturer to introduce what I suspect will be a standard in medium duty trucks. Time will tell how well it performs in operating costs, and maintenance.
Posted by: New Trucks | 15 October 2008 at 06:39 AM