CHICAGO -- Navistar yesterday unveiled its newest hybrid truck, the International WorkStar Hybrid 4x4, which the company says is the industry’s first four-wheel drive diesel-electric hybrid commercial truck.

The International WorkStar Hybrid 4x4, part of the International severe service line-up of trucks for heavier duty applications, adds to Navistar’s industry-leading line-up of diesel-electric hybrid vehicles. Navistar also produces the medium-duty International DuraStar Hybrid as well as IC Bus brand diesel-electric hybrid passenger buses for both school bus and commercial bus applications.

“With the new International WorkStar Hybrid 4x4 in our lineup, we continue to lead the way in providing energy-saving, environmentally friendly solutions for our customers,” said Steve Guillaume, Navistar general manager, vocational trucks. “By developing another hybrid truck that reduces fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, we’re able to deliver significant savings to the customers’ bottom line and, at the same time, help them reduce their overall carbon footprint.”

The International WorkStar Hybrid 4x4 can provide dramatic fuel savings of nearly 60 percent in utility-type applications when the engine often can be shut off, but electric power still operates the vehicle. Beyond the fuel savings potential, the WorkStar Hybrid 4x4 produces zero emissions when auxiliary equipment (like an overhead utility bucket) operates solely on the truck’s hybrid battery power. According to Navistar, the four-wheel drive capability of the truck is ideal for customers like utility companies, who need a truck to operate in off-highway conditions but are also looking to save energy and project a green image.