Peterbilt's medium-duty hybrids vehicles purchased in the United States are eligible to receive a tax credit of up to $12,000 from the federal government.

The Department of Treasury's heavy manufacturing and transportation group certified the Peterbilt Model 335 Class 7 and Model 330 Class 6 Hybrid Electric vehicles as eligible for these credits.

The maximum $12,000 credit for Class 7 hybrids is available for the Model 335 Hybrid Electric in both utility-boom and pickup and delivery applications when equipped with a PACCAR PX-6 engine and an Eaton hybrid system. A $6,000 credit, the maximum for Class 6 hybrids, is available for the Model 330 Class 6 Hybrid Electric in utility-boom and pickup-and-delivery applications when equipped with a PACCAR PX-6 engine and an Eaton hybrid system. Tax information on the 2009 incentives for the 8 eligible models can be found at Peterbilt Qualified Heavy Hybrid Vehicles.

The Model 335 Hybrid Electric uses components that provide up to a 30 to 40 percent improvement in fuel efficiency, when configured for a utility application, according to Peterbilt. These fuel savings are realized through both an on-road fuel economy gain, and an 80 percent reduction in engine idling, through electric operation of the Power Take-Off (PTO) using the on-board lithium-ion batteries.

The Model 330 Hybrid Electric is available with a 26,000-pound GVW rating, and can be configured for non-CDL operation with hydraulic brakes for a greater range of driver options. The integration of the Eaton Hybrid Drive System and the 260-horsepower Paccar PX-6 engine delivers up to 860 pounds-feet of torque. Launching the vehicle electrically in an urban driving cycle can achieve fuel economy benefits in excess of 30 percent, says the company.