Incentives and grants to propel the adoption of hybrid commercial vehicles

The hybrid commercial vehicles market in North America and Europe is fuelled by the benefits hybrids offer over conventional vehicles.

Better fuel efficiency, lower emissions and fewer maintenance costs are all highly desirable features, especially in sprawling cities and increasingly congested urban clusters. In the short-term, incentives and federal grants are expected to propel the adoption of hybrids.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Strategic Analysis of North American and European Hybrid Truck, Bus and Van Market, finds that the hybrid truck, bus and van market is expected to grow from 4.1 thousand units in 2009 to 222 thousand units by 2016. The products covered in this research service are: light commercial vehicles, medium commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles and buses.

“Amongst alternative powertrain technologies and fuels, hybrid commercial vehicles exert the least pressure on the existing energy and transportation infrastructure and require only minimal modification to the current fuelling infrastructure,” says Frost & Sullivan global programme manager Sandeep Kar.

“This aspect of hybrid commercial vehicles is acting as one of the strongest market drivers in North America and Europe, attracting governments, commercial vehicle manufacturers, and potential consumers alike towards supporting and accepting hybrid commercial vehicles.”