The region’s smog control agency will spend $90 million — half of that federal stimulus dollars — to fast-track development of hybrid trucks and buses for Southern California fleets, including at least one in Orange County.

The hybrids will be developed over the next two years under the guidance of the South Coast Air Quality Management District in Diamond Bar.

The trucks will be plug-in gasoline-electric hybrids, and will include utility and delivery trucks as well as shuttle buses. Building them could also spur larger economic effects.

“If these become commercialized, now there are opportunities for utilities to start putting in more infrastructure,” said Matt Miyasato, assistant deputy executive officer at the air district. “They have to plug in somewhere.  There’s a potential for more jobs in that arena.”

Read the rest of this entry »