Chattannoga: City considers hybrid trucks

The diesel hybrid-electric truck parked outside City Hall on Wednesday purred like a much-smaller vehicle and could mean better fuel savings for Chattanooga’s public works.

“I think it’s a beautiful truck. I think it’s innovative,” Chattanooga Director of General Services Paul Page said of the blue-cabbed diesel hybrid, made by Kenworth Truck Co.

“Our future dialogue with them will be to determine per-mile cost over a reasonable life span,” he said. “We think (a hybrid vehicle) would be a positive fit, especially in the recycling program.”

Mayor Ron Littlefield’s office is pursuing the idea of alternative energy vehicles for its fleet, Mr. Page said.

Hybrid vehicles mean going green and helping lower carbon emissions while saving money in the long term, according to officials with Murphy-Hoffman truck dealership in Chattanooga, which sells Kenworth vehicles.

Josh Rochester, a Murphy-Hoffman representative at Chattanooga’s branch, said production on the diesel hybrid truck has just begun. Walt Connors, new truck sales manager at the same Murphy-Hoffman branch, said the new model will be available in a few months.

Kenworth and city officials said the truck’s cost will vary, depending on what it is used for and what equipment is eventually attached to it, but Mr. Page said it will probably cost near $90,000. Federal and state incentives such as tax credits of up to $12,000 help alleviate some of the initial cost, according to Mr. Rochester.

Jeff Parietti, spokesman for Kenworth Trucks Co. in Kirkland, Wash., said prices vary greatly depending on what the truck is used for, but standard models of equivalent size range from $50,000 to $70,000.

Mr. Rochester said the hybrid model would cost $40,000 more than a standard model.

To the naked eye, the hybrid vehicle resembles a standard delivery truck. But a 340-volt lithium-ion battery pack and electric motor inverter are attached to the rig’s underside.

Mr. Connors said the battery allows the vehicle to run a utility bucket, for example, with the engine turned off. Savings can reach 35 to 60 percent of normal costs, he said, adding that results vary based on what equipment is attached to the chassis.

“Everybody uses a truck differently,” he said, listing the various types of “boxes” that can be attached, including refrigeration, utility, construction, flatbed and refuse.

Chattanooga has about 200 trucks in its fleet, according to Mr. Page, and some are nearing 15 years old and will need replacing. He said the city would purchase only a small number of hybrid trucks to begin with, testing the market for what kind of alternative energies — including hybrid-electric, propane and compressed natural gas — are most cost-effective for trucks.

Officials said the truck could be used for pick-up and delivery applications such as recycling services. The truck might otherwise be used for urban forestry work, city spokesman Richard Beeland said.

Ford Motor Co., Peterbilt Motor Co., Freightliner Trucks and International Truck and Engine Corp. are planning to offer hybrid-electric trucks in the Chattanooga area, Mr. Connors said.

A number of manufacturers produce diesel-electric hybrid trucks, according to Jennifer Watts, spokeswoman for Electric Drive Transportation Association, an industry group that advocates lowering carbon emissions in vehicles. Federal Express, the U.S. Postal Service and UPS use diesel-electric hybrids, Ms. Watts said.

Though they are quickly gaining in popularity, hybrid trucks still are fairly uncommon in municipal use, according to Mr. Page and Mr. Rochester.

“There’s been a lot of interest, especially in Tennessee,” Mr. Connors said.