Check this out. Freightliner and a couple of other companies are incorporating a new hybrid system made by Eaton, a parallel system that evidently uses a 340V lithium-chemistry Hitachi battery pack. They've evidently been doing a bunch of trials around NYC and it's now going into full production and sales. . However, a local shop says it just about doubles the price of the trucks ... at least for now, maybe that will level out as the market adjusts. . _H*
GE's new line of diesel electric locomotives also includes a hybrid option. Instead of dumping all the dynamic braking energy, the new system recaptures it in a battery. Tom
With diesel fuel prices as they are now I don't see a lot of companies buying new regular diesel powered trucks or hybrid trucks. You gonna see a lot of older models that are paid off on the road. It's a lot cheaper to rebuild a engine than to buy a new truck. I even see old 1980 Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks on the road these days. They are built to work and built to last.
