Suppliers Speak Out
Survey results predict a future of hybrids and fuel cells
At the fall 2007 meeting of the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), Dick Davidson, president of Thombert Inc., and Stan Simpson, president of Kalmar RT, presented results of an ITA membership survey conducted in 2007 regarding the time frame that the industry will see widespread adoption of engine technologies like hybrids and fuel cells. The suppliers who responded predict these innovations are closing in. When asked how soon fuel cells will make up a significant share of the market, 39 percent say within two to five years, with 61 percent saying five years or more.
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The blue bars in the graphs show participants’ 2007 responses when asked to predict the likelihood that use of each of four fuel types—diesel, gasoline, compressed natural gas and liquid propane gas—will increase, decrease or remain the same in the future. Green bars depict respondents’ answers to the same question asked in 2006. Substantially more people predicted an increase in LPG fuel in the 2007 survey, while the other fuels are more likely to remain unchanged.
The illustrations show survey respondents’ opinions about how trucks will be powered in the next few years. ITA members believe, with a confidence level of 7 or more on a 10-point scale, that fuel-cell-powered trucks will be available in each of Classes 1, 2 and 3 by 2012. Participants say there is a lesser chance that hybrid trucks will be available for Classes 4 and 5 by 2012.
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| On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being very likely, what is the likelihood that fuel cell powered trucks will be available by 2012 in Classes 1, 2 and 3? |
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| On a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being very likely, what is the likelihood that hybrid trucks will be available by 2012 in Classes 4 and 5? |
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