Posted on 01/21/2007 10:37:35 AM PST by CHUCKfromCAL
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is teaming up with ArvinMeritor, an auto component supplier, to develop a diesel-electric hybrid truck that may be the first of its kind in North America.
The companies said in a news release this week they had agreed to develop a dual-mode, diesel-electric drivetrain for a class 8 truck, called the "workhorse of the U.S. long-distance trucking industry" by ArvinMeritor.
"We've been working on development of hybrid drivetrains for some time," said Carsten J. Reinhardt, president of ArvinMeritor's Commercial Vehicle Systems business, in the news release. "This class 8 project is a major step in our continuing work in alternative drivetrain development -- both for power transmission and emissions -- and holds tremendous promise for the worldwide heavy-duty trucking market in a number of important environmental and economic ways."
Wal-Mart President and CEO Lee Scott said last year that doubling the fuel efficiency of the company's fleet of trucks was part of the company's new environmental program. Wal-Mart spokesman Dave Tovar said Thursday that the company is hoping the hybrid truck will help achieve that goal.
"Obviously, this is going to take some time, and there will be commercial applications for (the hybrid truck) beyond Wal-Mart. But the announcement put out by ArvinMeritor is strictly about the development of this new drive train," and there is no timetable as yet, Tovar said.
Wal-Mart has 7,000 trucks in its fleet, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nwaonline.net ...
--Railroads have used Diesel-Electric locomotives for years. But then a locomotive needs to be heavy.--
I don't think the weight is due to batteries.
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