Azure sells electric trucks to TruGreen

Azure Dynamics Corp., a hybrid electric and electric power train developer for the commercial truck and bus market, has sold 10 Balance Hybrid Electric trucks to TruGreen, a lawn care provider.
 
TruGreen plans to deploy the vehicles in California. The Balance Hybrid Electric features engine-off-at-idle functionality, which can significantly reduce the noise and environmental footprint of the truck.

The Azure Balance Hybrid Electric Drivetrain is incorporated on a Ford E450 chassis and manages the conventional 5.4 litre Triton gasoline engine and the 5-speed automatic TorqShift transmission to produce a cleaner, more fuel efficient vehicle. The Balance Hybrid Electric reduces maintenance cost by up to 30 percent.

TruGreen was able to award this contract with the support of vouchers from California's Hybrid Vehicle Incentive Program (HVIP), which provides funds for fuel efficient and environmentally friendly transportation solutions to companies operating fleets of vehicles in the state.

The contract was managed by MHC Ford in Memphis, Tenn. Reading Truck Body in Reading, Pa., a manufacturer of service and utility bodies, provided the service bodies for the trucks. The vehicles are expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2011.