Introduction to Hybrid Trucks – The 20,000-ft View

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Truck Talk
Volume 2 Number 2

When we talk about hybrid vehicles in the automotive context, we’re referring to a vehicle with some source of power other than an internal combustion engine — usually rechargeable batteries powering an electric motor. Hybrid commercial vehicles are a bit different. While some lighter commercial vehicle, such as courier vans, use electric drive systems, the heavier trucks within the medium-duty product line rely on batteries and electric motors not for motive power but to run certain vehicle systems. They also use hydraulic and electric energy recovery systems to improve the efficiency of the engine.

In part one of a series of discussions on hybrid power systems for commercial vehicles, Mike Sharpe and Phil Jones of Eaton Roadranger explain what hybrid power systems are in the commercial vehicle context, and what some of the benefits are to these alternative sources of power.

To save to your desktop right click and choose Save Target As (9.6 MB, 18:34)

 

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Jim Park was a CDL driver and owner-operator from 1978 until 1998, when he began his second career as a trucking journalist. During that career transition, he hosted an overnight radio show on a Hamilton, Ontario radio station and later went on to anchor the trucking news in SiriusXM's Road Dog Trucking channel. Jim is a regular contributor to Today's Trucking and Trucknews.com, and produces Focus On and On the Spot test drive videos.


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