CHICAGO — Truck and engine builder Navistar International has been named the recipient of the 2007 Blue Sky Award from WestStart-CALSTART for its contributions to the commercial development of diesel-hybrid technology.

The award is presented each year by WestStart-CALSTART, a transportation technology industry organization working to support and accelerate the growth of companies developing clean and energy-efficient transportation technologies.

Navistar, which is the parent of International Truck & Engine, was honored for
partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Army, UPS and Eaton Corp. to develop the first-ever series diesel hydraulic hybrid urban delivery vehicle.

WestStart-CALSTART also noted its development with Eaton of the International Diesel-Electric Hybrid Truck, which uses an electrified power supply that allows the vehicle to be driven in electric-only mode. This hybrid commercialization project, which brought together truck fleet users, truck makers, technology companies, and the U.S. military, was sponsored by the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF) established by WestStart-CALSTART.

“The Blue Sky Award spotlights those who are ahead of the pack in moving clean, efficient fuels and vehicles to market,” said John Boesel, president and CEO of WestStart-CALSTART.

“Navistar has invested the engineering, development and field assessment time earlier — and faster — than its competitors to make hybrids into a commercial product. Just as important, it is moving this technology into the truck world, which on a per-vehicle basis has a huge air quality and climate change impact.”

Responded Dee Kapur, president of the International’s Truck Group: “(The award) underscores that diesel-hybrid technology is now commercially available on a mass scale. Thanks to the energy efficiency and the emissions reductions made possible by diesel-hybrid vehicles, truck and bus customers will be able to save thousands of dollars in fuel costs per vehicle each year.”

International’s diesel-hybrid vehicles is said to emit 40 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than conventional diesel engines. Independent test results also show that use of diesel-hybrid vehicles can reduce the amount of fuel used by 40 to 60 percent, which, at $3 per gallon, could lead to savings of $4,500 to $5,000 a year per vehicle.