Jun 15 2009
Mack Trucks, Inc. last week gave federal legislators and policymakers a first-hand look at its industry-leading parallel diesel-electric hybrid technology for heavy-duty trucks. The Mack hybrid technology provides up to a 30% fuel economy improvement in stop-and-go applications like refuse collection, in line with the goals of reducing imports of foreign oil and slashing greenhouse gas emissions.
Mack Trucks, Inc. displayed this MACK® TerraPro™ Cabover model refuse truck with a diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain in Washington, DC on June 11 as part of a “Hybrid on the Hill Day” for federal officials. The Mack TerraPro hybrid model is the first production-intent diesel electric hybrid truck in the U.S. designed specifically for Class 8 heavy-duty applications and meeting the EPA’10 emission regulations
The MACK® TerraPro™ Cabover displayed at the base of Capitol Hill is the first production-intent parallel diesel-electric hybrid truck model in the U.S. designed specifically for Class 8 heavy-duty applications and meeting the EPA’10 emission regulations.
The Mack TerraPro model was part of a “Hybrid on the Hill Day” organized by the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF) of CALSTART. The event showcased the latest hybrid technology for trucks and sought to raise public awareness of how the U.S. government can help speed the widespread use of hybrid trucks.
“Our hybrid technology will be commercially viable, yet it will take time to establish a robust hybrid market for heavy vehicles that will enable us to invest in large scale production,” said Dennis Slagle, Mack president and CEO. “Incentives will accelerate the adoption of Class 8 hybrids and bring forward the positive environmental changes.”
Until these economies of scale are established, most heavy-duty hybrids will be sold at a very high premium compared to non-hybrids, he noted. Once a market is established and production volumes reach the point where the price difference becomes less, the savings from fuel and maintenance with Mack’s hybrid system should be enough to recoup a payback in a few years.
“Government incentives are necessary to establish a market for these vehicles with environmental benefits, similar to the incentives offered for hybrid passenger vehicles,” said Tom Kelly, Mack senior vice president, product portfolio management. “The public benefit of these incentives will be reduced environmental impact as hybrid heavy-duty trucks become more common.”
Some existing short-term federal tax credit programs apply to heavy-duty hybrids, and some incentives in the federal stimulus bill could possibly apply as well. But longer-term incentives are needed.
“For example, we’d like to see Congress extend the federal Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit, enacted by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which expires at the end of 2009,” Kelly said.