Mass. programs will show off hybrids, gas

BOSTON – Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s administration this month announced two programs to demonstrate the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) and hybrid trucks. The Mass. Department of Energy Resources pilot programs will support the use of CNG-powered commuter vans and highly fuel-efficient hybrid technology in municipal and private sector heavy-duty truck fleets.
Assuming annual travel of 20,000 miles, a 15-passenger commuter van powered with CNG is estimated to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 4.7 metric tons annually compared with the same van fueled with gasoline. Replacing a diesel-fueled, heavy-duty truck with a hybrid truck of the same size is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 6.4 metric tons per year, assuming annual travel of 15,600 miles, the department said.
A separate, $400,000 program will provide five municipal and five private sector truck fleets with heavy-duty hybrid trucks. Offering fuel savings of up to 30 percent, heavy-duty hybrid trucks work similarly to commercially available hybrid cars, combining an internal combustion engine with an electric motor and an onboard electrical storage device. &#8226