Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

Some time back I wrote a post on Hybrid Trucks. Things are a happening. Here’s an update.

Peterbilt.

Peterbilt has the only commercial class 8 truck that I am aware of…but things are happening fairly fast…I could be wrong.

This is their Green Machine.

It’s either on the road NOW or will be real-soon-now. But you can’t have one.

WalMart is apparently involved and is “supporting” it’s development.

This could be bad news for a lot of folks. How are you gonna like it when WalMart has a fleet of these babies on the road which get half again better fuel economy than you do? Guess where the rates are going? And you can’t buy one? Well maybe you can buy one……maybe.

Sucks to be FreightHauler and pull a van if you can’t.

Kenworth is a weenie. They’re only offering a Class six…I think…not a class 8….at this time. Big whoop.

Likewise International….

Ain’t they all pretty. Notice they’re all green. Being green is good for the planet. (I’m thinking about painting my truck green too…. NOT) You gotta love marketing.

They all have the same drive train …sorta…..made by Eaton. I suppose it’ll help. The problem is that it’s a parallel design.

Kinda like beer I guess. As the saying goes…”Any beer is better than no beer”. Well the same might be said here. Any Hybrid is better than no Hybrid.

Still….they’re doing a pitiful job. It’s almost like they WANT it to fail. I’m reminded of General Motors both past

and present day

No…that can’t be true. We all know the big industries know what’s best for us. They Luuuuv us…they have our best interests at heart….even if weeee don’t know what’s good for us …they do. I take it all back.

Still. The US Army logistics people have similar requirements to what we do. Here’s what they’re working on.

Looks like a normal Hemmt right?

Wrong

This baby has got it TOGETHER!!!

Just what I’d like to have. IF it were a Civilian Road Truck.

(sniff)….it’s not. Probably expensive too.

I may just have to settle for this….this……or even this.