Peterbilt Hybrid-Electric Medium-duty Truck

"Peterbilt will display a production-representative, hybrid-electric medium duty truck -- outfitted with a fully integrated bucket lift body -- at the Hybrid Truck Users Forum National Meeting in San Diego this month. "

"According to Peterbilt chief engineer Landon Sproull, the truck uses a parallel hybrid system -- developed with Eaton Corp. -- which has an electric motor that assists the mechanical diesel engine with supplemental torque for improved fuel economy. The system stores energy during stopping through a process called regenerative braking, and then reuses it for acceleration. The system also stores energy during idling and uses it to power the vehicle's PTO."

"There is increasingly strong demand for hybrid vehicles as customers recognize the bottom-line benefits of reduced fuel use and service requirements, as well as the civic impact of responsible environmental practices."

http://www.todaystrucking.com/news.cfm?intDocID=16948

Can anyone attend the Hybrid Truck Users Forum National Meeting or is it one of those closed members only or pay a huge registration fee thing?

I live in San Diego. I'd be willing to stop by, have a look, take some notes (pictures if allowed) and report back if I was allowed to do same and it wasn't during work hours.

Could someone give me an example of the types of hauling that are done with a 'medium duty' truck? I confess to total ignorance on the topic.

I believe tow trucks (wreckers) are medium duty. The larger box trucks also. Here is some International Medium Trucks.

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As a footnote: "American cars and light trucks alone account for more fossil fuel CO2 emissions than the total nationwide emissions of all but 4 other countries in the world." - Hybridtravelers.com (sources)
Really like this Hybrid Truck concept.