Peterbilt shows day cabs, hybrids, idling solution

March 22, 2007
An extended day cab, a Class 5 conventional, an alternative to idling and four hybrid models head the lineup of new products announced at the Mid-America Trucking Show by Peterbilt Motors Co.

LOUISVILLE, KY. An extended day cab, a Class 5 conventional, an alternative to idling and four hybrid models head the lineup of new products announced at the Mid-America Trucking Show by Peterbilt Motors Co.

The new Model 387 Extended Day Cab and Model 384 “complete the company’s aero truck lineup,” according to Landon Sproull, Peterbilt’s chief engineer. Intended for tanker and regional hauling applications, the extended day cab version adds six inches to interior cab length and will be offered with both medium and “premium” length hoods. The 384 offers a 116-in. BBC and will be offered in a day cab or with a range of Unibilt sleeper boxes. Both feature the aerodynamic styling introduced with the Model 387 and will be available later this year.

The company’s traditionally styled Models 388 and 389 have also received updates with a new grille for better air flow to the engine and redesigned hood mechanism for easier service access.

On the vocational heavy-duty side, Peterbilt also introduced the Model 367 with a 127-in. BBC and Model 365 with a 115-in. BBC. Both feature new front axle positions for better maneuverability in tight work sites and a range of weight-saving options.

Joining Peterbilt’s current Model 335 Class 6 conventional truck will be the Class 5 Model 325 later this year, according to Bill Jackson, Peterbilt gm and Paccar vp. A Class 5 version of the COE Model 220 is also expected later this year and will be called the Model 210.

Available this summer for all Peterbilt Class 8 tractors with 70-in. Unibilt sleepers, the Peterbilt ComfortClass system will provide heating or cooling and 110-V electric power for up to 10 hours without idling the truck’s diesel engine, according to Sproull. The factory installed option stores both electrical power and a cold charge collected while the truck is running down the road, and then uses the stored energy to keep a driver comfortable without idling either the truck’s diesel or an auxiliary power unit. A small diesel-fired heater provides heat if needed and shore power can be connected if available to run the system.

Peterbilt’s hybrid vehicle program covers four distinct models, with the earliest seeing limited production by next year, Sproull said during the product introductions. The medium-duty Models 330 and 335 are hybrid diesel electric vehicles intended for P&D and utility truck applications, respectively. The Model 386 hybrid is an over-the-road tractor with sleeper that used the diesel electric technology to provide both hotel power without idling and augment the main diesel engine’s power while on the road. The fourth vehicle in the program is the Model 320 refuse truck that uses a diesel hydraulic hybrid system. All four are currently undergoing fleet field tests, according to Peterbilt officials.

To comment on this article, write to Jim Mele at [email protected].

About the Author

Jim Mele

Nationally recognized journalist, author and editor, Jim Mele joined Fleet Owner in 1986 with over a dozen years’ experience covering transportation as a newspaper reporter and magazine staff writer. Fleet Owner Magazine has won over 45 national editorial awards since his appointment as editor-in-chief in 1999.

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