Date: 03-Feb-09
Country: US
Author: Nicole Maestri
NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Monday that it will test two new types of hybrid trucks and two types of trucks powered by alternative fuels as the world's largest retailer tries to make its trucking fleet more efficient.
Wal-Mart said it is working with suppliers, including ArvinMeritor and Peterbilt, to develop and test the new technologies.
Wal-Mart has one of the largest private trucking fleets in the world, and vowed in 2005 to make its trucking fleet 25 percent more efficient by the end of 2008. It said the latest tests are an effort to double its fleet efficiency by 2015, from its 2005 baseline.
As part of the pilot program, Wal-Mart said 15 trucks operating in one of its distribution centers near Phoenix will be converted to run on Reclaimed Grease Fuel made with the cooking grease from its stores.
At a distribution center in Southern California, Wal-Mart said it will test Peterbilt trucks that operate on liquid natural gas.
Wal-Mart is also testing a diesel-electric hybrid truck developed by ArvinMeritor, and a Peterbilt heavy duty hybrid truck that uses a diesel-electric hybrid power system developed by Eaton Corp and Paccar Inc.
(Editing by Dave Zimmerman)
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