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Commonwealth Edison Co. (ComEd), a unit of Chicago-based electric utility provider Exelon Corp., is adding a “bucket truck” and new hybrid SUVs to its fleet. ComEd demonstrated the new International Truck & Engine Corp. diesel-electric hybrid truck and displayed new Ford Escape Hybrids.

International said that the hybrid trucks are expected to improve fuel economy by up to 60% compared to existing diesel-only trucks. The utility companies will also test the vehicle’s ability to supply 25 kW’s of electricity to provide power for homes while crews investigate outages. The truck should be able to power over a dozen homes, International and Exelon said in a joint news release.

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