Texas, USA – Wal-Mart, which owns the country’s second-largest private shipping fleet, intends to replace its Peterbilt 386 big-rigs with hybrid versions of the same truck by 2009, saving millions of gallons of fuel per year.

Peterbilt Motors Company and Eaton Corporation have jointly developed the advanced hybrid technologies and integrated them into an aerodynamically styled heavy-duty vehicle for superior fuel efficiency and greater environmental stewardship.

The transition is part of Wal-Mart’s recently announced “Sustainability 360” program that will aggressively promote environmental stewardship among customers, suppliers and associates through a number of global innovation projects.

“During the past five years, we’ve clearly demonstrated our leadership in the hybrid marketplace with the success of our patented hybrid power system in the medium-duty marketplace. We’re excited that Wal-Mart’s fleet is now seeing the value of our hybrid technology,” said Jim Sweetnam, president of Eaton’s truck group.

During third-party testing, the Eaton Hybrid Power System has routinely achieved a 5-7 percent fuel savings versus comparable, non-hybrid models. It may result in a savings of one gallon of fuel per hour when idling. At the current average diesel price of almost $2.50 per gallon, those savings equate to about $9,000 to $10,000 a truck per year in operation.

“Wal-Mart is careful to consider the civic and environmental impact its operations have in the communities it serves around the world,” says Tim Yatsko, Wal-Mart’s Senior Vice President of Transportation. “We are continually looking for new, innovative ways to improve the fuel economy and reduce the emissions of our fleet. We currently operate the Peterbilt Model 386, and we anticipate that the hybrid version will help us move toward our goal to increase our fleet efficiency by 25 percent over the next few years.”