Nation's Fleets Test Drive Largest Collection Ever of Medium-
and Heavy-Duty Hybrid Trucks
--
MAJOR HYBRID TRUCK ANNOUNCEMENT SET FOR OCT. 15, 2004
WITH DIESEL FUEL PRICES RISING, TRUCK FLEETS CONSIDERING HYBRIDS
WHAT: The next generation of fuel-efficient medium- and
heavy-duty hybrid trucks and the fleets considering
their use come together October 15th during the national
meeting of the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF) in
Kalamazoo, Mich.
-- A major announcement will also be made October 15th
of the largest ever fleet purchase and deployment of
medium-duty hybrid utility trucks.
-- The HTUF program is operated by the WestStart
advanced transportation technology consortium with
the U.S. Army National Automotive Center (NAC). The
HTUF national meeting is hosted in 2004 by Eaton
Corporation and International Truck and Engine
Corporation.
WHERE: Marshall Proving Grounds - Medium- and Heavy-Duty Hybrid
Demo
19218 B Drive S., Marshall, Mich.
(maps and directions available)
Interested news organizations, please call.
WHEN: Friday, October 15, 2004
9:00 am - Noon ET: Truck Availability
11:00 am ET: News Conference
Highly Visual: 14 medium- and heavy-duty hybrid trucks
driving on test tracks to show fleet operators their
capabilities. They feature some of the most advanced
drive systems for heavy-duty trucks and include:
-- Hybrid HMMWV - Advanced Army "hummer"; Hybrid
Delivery Vans - In testing with two major delivery
firms to increase fuel economy 50%
-- Hybrid Refuse Truck - A hybrid-hydraulic refuse
truck never before unveiled
-- 11 other trucks
WHO: National leaders from truck fleets, truck makers,
technology companies and the military drive these
advanced trucks - part of an effort to speed the
development of advanced, clean, efficient and affordable
hybrid truck technology. Experts from over 50 truck
makers and suppliers attending. Eleven am news
conference speakers on hybrid utility truck project
include:
-- Kevin Beaty, Hybrid-Electric Business Unit Leader,
Eaton; V.K. Sharma, Director of Engineering,
International Truck and Engine; George Survant,
Director of Fleet Services, Florida Power & Light
Co.; Dennis Wend, executive director, U.S. Army NAC
- invited; Bill Van Amburg, Senior V.P., WestStart.
WHY: Diesel fuel prices are skyrocketing and emission
requirements are growing tighter. Hybrid drive
technology -- known mostly in passenger cars -- is now
moving into trucks to increase fuel economy and reduce
emissions. The Army is developing and testing hybrids:
the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF) works with
commercial fleets to help speed hybrid
commercialization. Learn more about hybrids, HTUF and
this national meeting at www.htuf.org.
