CHICAGO, Ill. (March 3, 2009) –When people think of a hybrid vehicle, they usually envision a small gas-sipping passenger car, not a 33,000 lb. medium-duty work truck. That mindset is about to change, now that the City of Chicago has added its first hybrid work truck to its fleet, the International® DuraStar® Hybrid.

As part of this week’s Green Truck Summit, held in conjunction with the 45th Annual National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Convention and the Work Truck Show 2009, representatives from Navistar (NYSE: NAV) officially presented the keys to an International DuraStar Hybrid to Howard Henneman, the City of Chicago's Commissioner of Fleet Management.

“We’re excited to partner with the City of Chicago in its ongoing efforts to become the most environmentally friendly city in the world,” said Steve Guillaume, Navistar general manager, vocational trucks. “Chicago recognizes the importance of a green truck fleet and the International DuraStar Hybrid will play a critical role in saving fuel and reducing emissions.”

While the International DuraStar Hybrid diesel-electric hybrid truck looks like an ordinary work truck, it delivers dramatic fuel savings of more than 60 percent in utility-type applications, when the engine often can be shut off and electric power still operates the vehicle. Beyond the fuel savings potential, the DuraStar Hybrid produces zero emissions when auxiliary equipment (like an overhead utility bucket) operates solely on the truck’s battery power.

“We are pleased to be the first municipality in the region to utilize this new technology,” said Howard Henneman, the City of Chicago's Commissioner of Fleet Management. “We expect that this technology will be an important part of our environmental efforts moving forward.”

The International DuraStar Hybrid uses a mild parallel-type, diesel-electric hybrid architecture, developed by Eaton Corporation, which leads to less diesel fuel use and fewer emissions. The 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.

This capability makes the truck more efficient in standard driving, particularly in city and stop-and-go driving. When the truck reaches a work site, the hybrid system can power booms, aerial devices and other tools needed at the location for up to 90 minutes without the engine running, significantly reducing noise, emissions and fuel costs.

Navistar shares a common history with Chicago, tracing its roots back to the former McCormick and International Harvester. “We’ve worked closely with the City of Chicago going as far back as the 1830s and we’re proud to continue that relationship today and into the future as Navistar proudly sponsors the City of Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games,” added Guillaume. “With a comprehensive line-up of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly trucks and buses, we’re excited about helping Chicago host the greenest Summer Olympics ever if it's awarded the 2016 games.”

For decades, Navistar has demonstrated its commitment to clean technologies that benefit the environment and its customers. Navistar was the first Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to release the smokeless diesel engine and was the first engine manufacturer to gain EPA certification for meeting 2007 particulate and hydrocarbon emissions standards – six years ahead of schedule. Navistar was also the first OEM to enter line production of diesel-hybrid commercial trucks and school buses in North America.

For its ongoing leadership, Navistar was honored with the 2007 Blue Sky Award from WestStart-CALSTART for its contributions to the commercial development of diesel-hybrid technology. This preeminent award is presented each year by WestStart-CALSTART, the nation's leading advanced transportation technology industry organization working to support and accelerate the growth of companies developing clean and energy-efficient transportation technologies.