NAPA VALLEY, Cal. – Peterbilt’s first production medium-duty hybrid trucks have been delivered to wine country, where they will be used by VinLux Fine Wine Transport to deliver wine to customers in urban areas such as San Francisco.

Peterbilt delivered two Hybrid Model 335 production trucks to the VinLux, which is a joint venture between Biagi Bros. and Jackson Family Estates.

“We applaud VinLux’s adoption of Peterbilt Hybrid vehicles, as well as their innovative business model and commitment to environmental responsibility,” said Bill Jackson, Peterbilt general manager and PACCAR vice-president. “Our medium-duty hybrid vehicles have proven to not only provide a 30-50% increase in fuel efficiency, depending upon the application, but also dramatically reduce tailpipe emissions of hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO),and oxides of nitrogen (NOx).”

The Class 7 trucks use Eaton’s hybrid-electric drive system which assists the PACCAR PX-6 diesel during acceleration. The system harnesses energy through regenerative braking, stores it in a battery pack and then uses the energy to apply torque upon acceleration.

“We’re committed to going green and protecting the Californian environment, and the Peterbilt hybrids are a perfect solution for us,” said Fred Biagi, owner, VinLux Fine Wine Transport. “By adding hybrid vehicles to our fleet, we expect our investment will be returned in as little as two years, based on the rapidly escalating price of fuel.”