What is medium-sized, environmentally friendly, made by a local company and will be on the road working for the city of Denton soon?

A new hybrid truck, the first of a series by Peterbilt Motors Co., will be on the road in about two weeks.

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The city of Denton will lease this new Model 330 hybrid truck from Peterbilt Motors Co. The truck sports the logos of both the city and the manufacturer.

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“We are excited,” said Mike Ellis, city fleet services superintendent, about Denton’s partnership with the manufacturer.

For the past three years, Peterbilt, a division of PACCAR Inc., has been working on two hybrids — Model 330, which can be used for short hauls, and Model 335, for use in utility operations. Both vehicles feature the Eaton Hybrid Power system, which captures energy in routine driving conditions and stores it for later use. Company officials said the captured energy is then applied as electric torque and blended with engine torque to improve vehicle performance, increase fuel efficiency, reduce maintenance costs and produce fewer emissions.

“Over the last decade, Peterbilt has been at the forefront in the development of green technologies that help the environment through great­er fuel savings and reduced emissions,” said Landon Sproull, Peterbilt’s chief engineer. “Our new hybrid medium-duty vehicles will provide fuel efficiencies of up to 50 percent in utility applications and a significant reduction of tailpipe emissions, including reductions of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen.”

The Model 330 hybrid provides up to a 30 percent im­provement in fuel economy, while the Model 335 saves up to 50 percent.

With diesel at more than $4 per gallon, Ellis said, the new hybrids would help the city by reducing costs.

Officials said the new hybrids will help save up to 2,400 gallons of diesel annually.

“We want to have the greatest technology out there on the road,” Ellis said.

Both hybrid models use the fuel-efficient PACCAR PX-6 engine and lithium-ion batteries. The Class 6 Model 330 weighs up to 26,000 pounds, has hydraulic brakes, and does not require a commercial driver’s license. The Class 7 Model 335, which weighs up to 33,000 pounds, is ideal for pickup and delivery, beverage distribution, and municipal and utility operations, according to Peterbilt.

The lime-green Model 330 will be on the road in Denton as soon as the city signs its lease. The truck will feature the city’s and the company’s logos on the side.

Peterbilt will formally an­nounce the production of the hybrids next week in Cali­fornia. The two hybrid vehicles will be available for general distribution by the end of the summer.

Bill Jackson, Peterbilt’s general manager and PACCAR vice president, said his company has invested in green technology not only to help lower fuel costs but also to help reduce the global carbon footprint.

In addition to electric hybrids, the company also developed vehicles featuring Eaton’s hydraulic launch assist for solid-waste transportation fleets.

The investment in the environment also is part of PACCAR’s goal to improve vehicle efficiency standards for select medium-duty applications by 30 percent over the next seven years. Kenworth, a Peterbilt sister company, also will launch its hybrid vehicles later this summer.

In addition, the hybrid vehicles come with tax incentives for buyers. A $6,000 tax credit is available for the Model 330 hybrid and a $12,000 credit for the Model 335.

“The savings and the government incentive make it a nice option for a customer,” said David Giroux, director of marketing communication for Peterbilt.

KARINA RAMÍREZ can be reached at 940-566-6878. Her e-mail address is kramirez@dentonrc.com .