The trucking industry is adopting hybrid-electric propulsion technologies at a quickening rate.

As more and more people migrate to cities, more trucks, busses and delivery vehicles will be needed. At the same time, increasing safety and emission regulations are encouraging the transportation sector to become a smarter and more energy efficient industry. This convergence marks not only a challenge to the trucking industry, but also an opportunity according to presenters at this week's Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF, Oct. 27-29, 2009, Atlanta). There truck-, utility- and military-vehicle makers are showing off their latest hybrid-electric and high-efficiency designs. IBM, the national sponsor of HTUF, will unveil there its road map to a greener, smarter trucking industry in a new study called Truck 2020. See the video.

"Truck 2020" cites statistics which claim that service vehicles will be the fastest growing segment of the transportation industry over the next decade. Today trucks represent just 8 percent of the vehicle market, but nevertheless produce 40 percent of the nitrous oxide emissions. To make those figures greener, the trucking industry is adopting hybrid-electric propulsion technologies at a quickening rate.

"These new technologies let us tackle carbon, reduce emissions in our urban regions and help reduce fuel use," said Bill Van Amburg, senior vice president at Calstart, which manages the Hybrid Truck Users Forum in partnership with the U.S. Army’s National Automotive Center (NAC), and with project support from the Hewlett Foundation and the Department of Energy (DoE). "High efficiency trucks will be one of those green sectors that will help transform not just the truck industry, but our nation."

Hybrid vehicles work by storing energy in batteries, then reusing it to drive an electric motor that increases gas mileage. The added draw for trucks and utility vehicles is that they can also use the stored electrical energy to run their on-board systems. For instance, those "bucket" lifts that many vehicles use to eliminate the need for ladders can be powered by batteries instead of leaving the engine idling.

Hybrid electric trucks "are clearly the closest viable choice to today's fossil fuel internal combustion engine," said Sanjay Rishi, vice president and co-author of IBM's road map for greening the trucking industry. "The trucking industry has been long disparaged for its environmental record--it now stands to make a significant contribution to energy independence and to reduction of carbon emissions."

IBM's Truck 2020 study is subtitled Transcending Turbulence, because it provides a road map detailing how the trucking industry can profit by going green over the next decade. Themes include globalization, brand development, technology integration, partnerships and work force transformation, each of which is detailed in the complete Truck 2020 report.

Reader Comments: Trucks and Transportation Industry Going Greener, Getting Smarter >>> Post your comment now! Most Truck Makers Going Green Now The 2020 baseline is a goal, mainly because that's when the fastest growing economy in the world (China) will reach 50 percent urban dwellers. Today... Posted At: 10-27-09 By: R. Colin Johnson Test Drive the BIG Trucks If you happen to be in Atlanta this week, you might stop by the Georgia World Congress Center where the Hybrid Truck Users Forum is letting anyone... Posted At: 10-27-09 By: Anonymous Great article I hope the trucking industry can start to grow again especially in this country. You indicate in this article this is the trend for 2020, but are... Posted At: 10-27-09 By: Paula White >>> Post your comment now!

>>> More Technology For Change Articles          >>> More By R. Colin Johnson