The green movement, with its evolving and increasingly stringent regulations, is “a tidal wave, and it’s only getting bigger coming at us,” Rusty Rush, president and chief executive officer of Rush Enterprises, told attendees at Rush’s Go Green event.
The daylong event, held Wednesday, April 1, at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., drew about 160 fleet customers and representatives from the trucking media. It showcased Peterbilt vehicles featuring alternative technologies designed to lower emissions and improve air quality while reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil and taking advantage of domestic resources such as natural gas.
Attendees heard presentations on the latest green technologies from Peterbilt, Cummins, Eaton and Westport, along with details on available grants and tax incentives to encourage fleets to convert to greener equipment. Attendees also had the opportunity to test-drive Peterbilt’s greenest vehicles, including the Model 386 heavy-duty hybrid, which is still in development.
The Model 386 hybrid features a 400-hp Cummins ISX engine, an Eaton Fuller Ultrashift transmission, a 60-hp 30 lb.-ft. electric motor and a 340-volt DC electrical system. Through fuel savings and idle reduction, Peterbilt hopes to achieve 15 percent better fuel economy than a diesel-powered Model 386.
