Hybrid tractors are rare beasts in Europe. In 2008, Mercedes-Benz unveiled an Axor tractor with a parallel-hybrid system having a smaller 320bhp, 7.2-litre Atego engine under its cab, in place of the Axor's 12-litre straight-six. A 59bhp/420Nm electric motor provided power for pulling away and hill climbing. Using lithium-ion batteries, the Axor hybrid was reportedly capable of cutting fuel consumption by 4-10%. But, by late 2011, the German truck maker admitted: "The focus in our engineering department has been to force the series-production readiness of the Mercedes Atego BlueTec Hybrid. So we've [ordered] no further activities."
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