Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation hosted a seven-vehicle Ride-N-Drive event at the 43rd Annual National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Convention and Work Truck Show 2007. The demonstration vehicles included chassis from International Truck and Engine Corporation, Peterbilt and Freightliner - each equipped with an Eaton hybrid electric system.
“Just as the trucking industry’s interest in hybrid trucks continues to expand, so does our progress in providing a cost-effective and reliable hybrid solution,” said Mark Lloyd, market development manager for Eaton’s Hybrid Power Systems.
Eaton also announced that its hybrid systems will be commercially available this year on the assembly lines of most major North American OEMs.
Since forming its Hybrid Power Systems business unit in March 2000, Eaton has received several United States patents. Today, Eaton has emerged as a leader in the commercialization of hybrid power systems with systems now powering package delivery vehicles being built by Federal Express and UPS in North America. In addition, 24 vehicles in 14 public utility fleets around the U.S. began using Eaton’s hybrid electric system in 2006. The applications are delivering significant fuel economy gains and pollution reductions. Eaton’s hybrid efforts are global in scope, with additional vehicle development programs in Europe and Asia.
Eaton employs a parallel-type diesel-electric hybrid system with Eaton’s Fuller® UltraShift automated transmission It incorporates an electric motor/generator between the output of an automated clutch and input of the transmission. The system recovers energy normally lost during braking and stores the energy in batteries. When electric torque is blended with engine torque, the stored energy is used to improve fuel economy and vehicle performance for a given speed, or operate with electric power only. The system provides energy for use during engine-off worksite operations.
For more information on Eaton’s hybrid electric power systems and other Roadranger products and services, visit www.roadranger.com/, or write to Roadranger Marketing, P.O. Box 4013, Kalamazoo, MI 49003. To reach Roadranger customer service right now, dial 1-800-826-HELP (4357) in the U.S. and Canada. In Mexico, dial 01-800-826-4357.