A Colorado electric cooperative, United Power in Brighton, debuted a hybrid bucket truck earlier this year.
The truck, which uses battery power to raise and lower the bucket, is the first model nationwide to use battery power for both the bucket and the bucket jib (the small crane attached to the bucket that allows line crews to lift heavy materials to the height of the bucket).
Operating an electric boom and jib rather than using a traditional diesel-powered boom provides cleaner, quieter idle time for crews, improves safety conditions, reduces idle time on the truck engine and saves diesel fuel.