Hybrid Car Review

I sometimes forget about these larger hybrids, since I am so focused on the passenger vehicle market, but seeing a $12,000 tax credit is available certainly catches the eye.

The Class 7 hybrid for the Model 335 Hybrid Electric is available as both utility-boom and pickup and delivery applications. It comes with a PACCAR PX-6 engine and an Eaton hybrid system. Buyers are eligible for a $12,000 tax credit.

The Model 330 Class 6 Hybrid Electric in utility-boom and pickup-and-delivery applications is equipped with a PACCAR PX-6 engine and an Eaton hybrid system. Buyers are eligible for $6,000 in tax credits.

"Peterbilt’s product breadth in hybrid vehicles is pacing the industry with research and development in four applications for Class 6 through Class 8 trucking segments," says Larry Reding, assistant general manager of sales and marketing, Peterbilt Motors Company. "The federal tax credit combined with the over 30 percent fuel efficiency gains makes these products very attractive for our environmentally conscious customers."

The Model 335 Hybrid Electric utilizes components that provide up to a 30 to 40 percent improvement in fuel efficiency, when configured for a utility application. These fuel savings are realized through both an on-road fuel economy gain, and an 80 percent reduction in engine idling, through electric operation of the Power Take-Off (PTO) using the on-board lithium-ion batteries.

The Model 330 is powered by the PACCAR PX-6 engine rated at 240 horsepower and 560 ft-lbs of torque. With the hybrid system engaged, horsepower increases to 300 and torque to 860 ft-lbs. This configuration is ideal for stop-and-go use, such as urban pick-up and delivery, with the hybrid system resulting in 30 to 40 percent greater fuel savings by using electric power to accelerate the vehicle from a stop.

According to Peterbilt Chief Engineer Landon Sproull, the truck uses a parallel hybrid system that was developed with Eaton Corporation. A parallel hybrid system has an electric motor that assists the mechanical diesel engine with supplemental torque for improved fuel economy. The system stores energy during stopping through a process called regenerative braking, and then reuses it for acceleration. The system also stores energy during idling and uses it to power the vehicle’s PTO.