Hybrid Truck Users Forum

What is the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF)?
HTUF is a national, multi-year, user-driven program to assist the commercialization of heavy-duty hybrid technologies. It is operated by CALSTART and supported by the U.S. Army’s National Automotive Center (NAC) and the Hewlett Foundation. HTUF works to find applications and generate demand for hybrid vehicles in the commercial market to help speed the development and reduce the cost of such vehicles. It is a user-driven process for commercialization. HTUF’s goals are to:

• Expand the commercial market for heavy-duty hybrid vehicles
• Allow military and commercial users to identify common needs and concerns
• Learn how HTUF can meet the needs of fleets throughout North America

HTUF is open to participation by truck fleet users, truck and system makers, and researchers.
Would you like to take part in HTUF? Click here to sign up for a free subscription to Hybrid DiaLog and to receive other general HTUF announcements.
Click here for the news page.


Why Hybrids?
Why is the Army interested in hybrids? The NAC is pursuing hybrid (dual power system) truck technology to significantly reduce the Army’s fuel consumption and logistics needs, to provide field-generation of power and to provide quiet, stealth operations. The U.S. Army has a fleet of over 246,000 vehicles with a goal to reduce fuel consumption by 75% by 2010. WestStart, a non-profit advanced transportation organization, focuses on technologies that increase fuel-efficiency and reduce emissions. The Hewlett Foundation also support HTUF’s efforts to increase fuel-efficiency and reduce emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.

Hybrid-electric drivetrain systems in heavy-duty vehicles are already demonstrating fuel economy improvements of 25% to 50%. Hydraulic-hybrid systems are entering testing as well, with promise for fuel economy, performance and low cost. Some of these drivetrains are now available from major manufacturers and are starting to be applied in the bus industry. Visit our information page for background.


How HTUF Works
HTUF is a process for commercialization. It is currently focused on linking together commercial and military fleets in promising truck market segments, sharing technical information, performing application analyses, and working with fleet users, truck and system OEMs to define common hybrid vehicle performance requirements. HTUF functions through Forums and Working Groups. 

The seven national forums to date have helped share technology information and built important momentum in this process. Forums have been held in Indianapolis in Winter 2002, Chattanooga in Fall 2002, San Antonio in Fall 2003, Kalamazoo, Michigan in October 2004 and Ottawa Lake, Michigan in October 2005, San Diego in 2006 and Seattle in 2007. Our 2008 meeting is in South Bend, IN in October.

As a direct result of the forums, four active user Working Groups have been launched:

• Hybrid Utility Truck Working Group – George Survant, Florida Power & Light - user lead
• Hybrid Parcel Delivery Truck Working Group – Jerry Swart, FedEx Ground; Robert Hall, UPS - user leads
• Hybrid Refuse Truck Working Group – Matthew Stewart, City of Chicago - user lead
• Hybrid Bus Working Group – Tony Bryant, TriMet User Lead
  
• Plug-In Electric Truck Task Force – Jasna Tomic, CALSTART liaison
• Incentive Working Group – Bill Van Amburg, CALSTART
• Hybrid Class 8 Over the Road and Regional Delivery Working Group – Richard Parish, CALSTART liaison

HTUF works to assist users and truck makers to move to pre-production manufacturing levels and deployment based on common specifications. Steps may include fleet characterization, business case development, and life-cycle and performance modeling. These next generation vehicles would enter service nationwide for assessment and validation, to be followed by next level production and purchase commitments.

Would you like to take part in HTUF? Click here to sign up for a free subscription to Hybrid DiaLog and to receive other general HTUF announcements.

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