 |
Kenworth Truck Company of Seattle,
Washington recently introduced the first medium duty hybrid-electric
truck into the U.S. market.
|
| Mark Geyer, Dunn Lumber fleet manager, (left) and Rob Dunn, Dunn Lumber chief executive officer, stand with the company’s new Kenworth medium-duty hybrid truck for pickup and delivery application. |
Kenworth Truck Company of Seattle, Washington recently introduced the first medium duty hybrid-electric truck into the U.S. market.
“The new Kenworth hybrid provides a state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly addition,” says Bob Christensen, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president.
Kenworth’s goal for its new medium duty hybrid is to enhance fuel economy by up to 30 percent in start-and-stop applications, such as pickup and delivery and utility trucks. Kenworth is offering limited production of medium duty hybrid trucks this year with full-scale production expected to follow in 2008.
Above 30mph, the Kenworth hybrid operates like a standard diesel vehicle with all power coming from the engine during steady driving conditions. Below 30mph, it uses a combination of diesel and electricity with the system automatically switching between the two modes of operation. Electricity generated through regenerative braking is stored and used for acceleration, assisting the diesel engine.
The first model was delivered to Dunn Lumber, also based in Seattle. The Kenworth Class 7 hybrid, which can carry a payload of up to 16,000 pounds, features a PACCAR PX-6 240 horsepower engine, integral transmission-mounted motor/generator, frame-mounted 340 volt battery, and dedicated power management system.
“It’s still very early, but fuel economy is up an estimated 35 percent in the first few weeks of operation compared to one of our similarly spec’d Kenworth T300s,” says Mark Geyer, fleet manager for Dunn Lumber Co. “The truck also looks great and is extremely quiet, which is a big plus.”
www.kenworth.com
