Freightliner Trucks has announced availability of a regular production hybrid-drive drop-frame beverage truck. Using a Business Class M2-106 chassis and Eaton Corp.'s electric hybrid system, the Class 6 truck promises substantial fuel savings

compared to straight diesel trucks on city stop-and-go routes.
The Freightliner hybrid uses a Mercedes-Benz diesel engine coupled with an electric motor-generator and batteries. The truck usually launches on electric power from energy stored during braking; the diesel picks up the load afterwards, but can also assist the electric motor or can run separately, such as at higher freeway speeds.
"The M2-106 can boast up to a 30 percent savings in fuel consumption and up to an 87 percent reduction in idling time," said Mark Lloyd, market development manager for Eaton. Reduced engine idling contributes to fuel savings while lowering exhaust emissions. The truck also produces less noise, allowing for quieter loading and unloading in urban settings.
Freightliner engineers maximized the amount of space for the beverage body by mounting most of the integrated hybrid components underneath and behind the cab. The frame behind the cab drops downward to accommodate a high-volume 12-bay body. "We designed the M2 106 Hybrid to maximize capacity so that our beverage customers could haul larger quantities," said Melissa Kellogg, Freightliner's director of product marketing.
Ideal for easy access to cargo and featuring simplified loading and unloading, the drop frame truck maximizes load capacity while maintaining superior maneuverability, visibility and driver comfort claimed by the Business Class M2 series. The aerodynamic aluminum cab offers a 55-degree wheel cut, sloped hood and a 2,500-square-inch windshield for good visibility and increased safety.
For more info: www.freightlinertrucks.com