Diesel Progress / Diesel Progress January 2007 / ArvinMeritor To Develop Hybrid Drivetrain For Wal-Mart

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ArvinMeritor To Develop Hybrid Drivetrain For Wal-Mart

ArvinMeritor and Wal-Mart Transportation, Bentonville, Ark., have agreed to development of a dual-mode, diesel-electric drivetrain for a Class 8 tractor. The vehicle, which is believed to be the first dual-mode diesel-electric tractor prototype in development in North America, will be based on an International Class 8 ProStar tractor and powered by an engine developed by Cummins Inc.

"We've been working on development of hybrid drivetrains for some time," said Carsten J. Reinhardt, president of the company's Commercial Vehicle Systems (CVS) business. "This Class 8 project is a major step in our continuing work in alternative drivetrain development - both for power transmission and emissions - and holds tremendous promise for the worldwide heavy-duty trucking market in a number of important environmental and economic ways."

ArvinMeritor will provide the tandem axle, regenerative braking system, air disc brakes and advanced ABS with integrated stability control and driver assistance systems (from Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems), software, electronic controls, transfer case, motors, as well as the battery power from a third party.