Chattanooga Checks Out First Hybrid Wood Chipper Truck

The effort to make Chattanooga a green city could be getting a push in the right direction according to Environmentalists. Wednesday the city got a sneak peek at one of the newest hybrids on the road.

But as NewsChannel 9's Erica Green found out this energy efficient vehicle is a bit unconventional and would make Chattanooga the first in the nation to have one.

It's called a hybrid diesel electric truck and some city leaders say adding it with some pumped up features to their fleet would be exactly what they need to reach the goals this future green city has set for itself.

It looks like just another diesel truck,but the company rolling out this truck says think of it as a suped up hybrid.

" It's a diesel electric truck it has a battery power in addition to the diesel engine as well," said Josh Rochester, a truck salesman for MHC Kenworth.

The truck uses battery until it hits 40 miles an hour and that's when the diesel kicks in. But Chattanooga's forestry department is looking to buy one that does more than just haul.

" Picking up recycables, urban forestry. We would use a truck like this for everyday urban forestry operations three putting and tree removal so yeah there's plenty of applications," said Gene Hyde, Chairman of Chattanooga's Green Committee

But like the other alternative fuel and energy cars there are question because there is little proof about the functionality and effectiveness. This company says they've had trucks on the road for a combined 1 million miles with no problems.

" They're known for the world's best. You can see it on the side of the truck. They get that reputation but we don't put anything on the road unless it's been fully tested unless we have that we can hold the reputation of being the world's best," said Rochester.

City leaders say they're impressed with the world's best and hope to buy one of these $100,.000 hybrid trucks. Research shows that purchase could save the city almost $200,000 in gas for the life of this truck, about 12 years.

 " To bring down our dependence on foreign oil. I think this fits in beautifully with that. We certainly welcome any truck like this as an addition to our city's fleet. It all rolls together and is hugely important. This is big time stuff for us," said Hyde.

 The city will crunch the numbers and see if buying the truck is justifiable. If they do Chattanooga would be the first city to own a hyrbid wood chipping truck in the country.