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US operators drive forward hybrid heavy trucks with Smartway scheme
Page 12
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AMERICAN HONDA Motor Co Inc has become the first company in its industry to introduce a Class 8 hybrid diesel-electric tractor unit into its truck fleet, based at its parts centre in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA, The Smartway-certified Peterbilt 386, equipped with an Eaton diesel-electric hybrid driveline, is expected to "reduce CO, emissions by almost 45 tons per year" compared with a diesel-powered equivalent.
Honda uses top-weight artics to transport service parts between its parts centres and dealerships; the firm's fleet, operated by UPS Freight Truckload, typically travels 300,000 miles per day. The hybrid Peterbilt tractor will operate on two delivery routes — a hilly one in Tennessee and a relatively flat one in Georgia — to evaluate its fuel economy.
Over the coming 12 months, Honda will alternate the hybrid with a standard diesel truck and collect data using telematics to compare the performance of the trucks over similar routes.
• See comment on page 3.