CHICAGO – Kraft Foods Inc. added the first-of-its-kind diesel-electric hybrid delivery truck equipped with a refrigerated truck body for frozen and refrigerated capabilities to its fleet. Navistar representatives presented the keys to the International DuraStar Hybrid to Kraft during the annual National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Work Truck Show in Chicago.

The International DuraStar Hybrid truck with RouteMax refrigerated body is a pilot unit and is the first of its kind on the road, according to Navistar. The energy-saving system in this delivery truck is expected to offer Kraft Foods as much as a 30-percent fuel savings versus a traditional diesel-powered truck.

The truck uses a hybrid-electric system utilizes a regenerative braking system to recover energy normally lost during braking, stores the energy in batteries and adds power back into the driveline during starts and acceleration.

In addition to the hybrid system, the truck also features RouteMax, a self-powered, extended-route cold plate refrigeration system offered exclusively through Navistar in cooperation with Johnson Truck Bodies. Onboard power from the hybrid system provides power for the refrigeration solution to accelerate body temperature recovery during the truck's daily operation, nearly doubling the length of time its cold plates provide cooling for cargo and protecting assets. Compared with a traditional diesel-powered refrigerated blower unit, RouteMax can help fleets save as much as 1,400 gallons of fuel per year, according to Navistar.

"This truck is one more step forward in our transportation sustainability initiatives. As part of our commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, we are applying new technologies like this one, cutting down on the distances our fleet travels, and partnering with governmental agencies," said Mike Cole, director of Transportation, North America, Kraft Foods.