New Volvo Hybrids

Volvo announced on March 10th that they will be supplying Hybrid DriveTrains to their heavy equipment industries by 2009. The setup will be diesel engines with battery systems for the hybrid part. The fuel savings are estimated at around 35% but in the heavy equipment industry when vehicles are run constantly this savings really adds up over the months and years. There is a downside though that the vehicles will cost on average, 35% more than their traditional counterparts. But Volvo says that within one to two years of using the new hybrid systems the increased purchase price for the vehicles will have already paid for itself in fuel savings. Expected sales are estimated to reach 10,000 units a year. There is also talk of making Biodiesel engines with battery hybrid systems as well.

This is another great step forward with Volvo keeping pace with both the economy in mind as well as the environment. Sounds like everyone wins. Read the full article here.