Making predictions for the coming year can be tempting when drafting a January column. While I don’t want to get caught up in forecasting events for the coming year, I think it might be interesting to note a recent turn-of-events related to the introduction of hybrid vehicles.
Last January, at an event where Mack Trucks Inc. showed off its Granite model dump truck built for the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Power Technology Office, Paul L. Vikner, Mack’s president and CEO, said that the government would need to offer incentives in order for hybrid truck technology to become affordable.
In November 2007, at a global meeting dealing with alternatively fueled and hybrid vehicles, Andreas Renschler, Daimler board of management member and head of Daimler Trucks, also talked about its hybrid truck and bus initiatives, suggesting that government incentives would help promote sales. Other truck OEMs and suppliers have made similar comments as they also continued to develop hybrid systems for commercial trucks.
So, in December of ’07, as if right on cue, the Internal Revenue Service made an announcement that suggests that help is on the way. The IRS statement said that it is providing incentives for purchasers of certain large trucks, buses or other heavy vehicles running on alternative fuel. Those purchasers can claim a credit of up $32,000, and purchasers of certain large hybrid trucks and other heavy hybrid vehicles can claim a credit of up to $12,000 if they qualify for the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit. A credit also is available for certain new qualified heavy hybrid vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating in excess of 8,500 lbs. A qualifying heavy hybrid motor vehicle draws propulsion energy from onboard sources of stored energy, which are both an internal combustion or heat engine using consumable fuel, and a rechargeable energy storage system. This credit should be not confused with the alternative motor vehicle credit for qualified hybrid passenger automobiles and light trucks.
While this announcement is encouraging, there is still a lot that needs to be done before the roads are heavily populated with hybrid commercial trucks. It’s a good start nonetheless, and I think it’s safe to predict we’ll be hearing a lot more about this in the coming year.
Bob Dorn, Publisher
