Finally, good commercial use of hybrid / diesel in fleet test for Honda, USA (vehicle, idle)

[StealthRabbit]

Thank goodness for Honda / Peterbilt / Eaton / UPS

This should help this technology get wrung out and optimized.

ADDING MULTIMEDIA American Honda Motor Co. Begins Use of Class 8 Hybrid Truck - MarketWatch
Class 8 -
300,000 miles / day (entire fleet, but apparently only 2 will be hybrids)
hilly + flat terrain
benchmark with diesel counterpart

I haven't seen the data on the Sprinter diesel hybrid, but they've been testing it for 5 yrs.

I am a proponent of getting hybrid technology in delivery trucks (where reasonable) to reduce brake dust and soot. + get the technology commercialized to reduce cost.

Certainly beats the data coming from 20 minute commutes in $40,000 hybrids.

I'll be sticking with my $35 VW Rabbit till I can afford a Peterbilt 386 hybrid, that would be real handy to have around the house. I could haul my CAT and trackhoe in one load. The re-gen braking would get me all charged up on my 5 mile 7% downgrade between home and town.

[Drover]

The Chicago Transit Authority has been testing a few hybrid buses. The engine does not shut off while the bus is in operation; however, due to the nature of a city bus's very frequent starts and stops, the engine also almost never has to operate above idle. When the bus is just sitting there, the engine charges the battery pack, which is then used to drive the bus. The fuel savings are substantial but the higher up-front cost is also quite substantial. I like the concept; hopefully the up-front cost will come down over time.

[cdelena]

Take a look at the UPS hydraulic hybrid.

Around the Block in the First UPS Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle (UPS hydraulic+hybrid EPA National+Vehicle+and+Fuel+Emissions+Laboratory)