Eaton diesel-electric hybrid power system ready for trucks

The Plain Dealer
August 11, 2007
By Zachary Lewis

  A new green technology just got a long-awaited green light at Eaton Corp.

After four years of testing 220 vehicles over 2 million miles on three continents, the Cleveland-based industrial manufacturer said its diesel-electric hybrid power system is ready for use in trucks available commercially in 2008.

"It`s been a fairly intense and involved process," said Scott Davis, operations manager of Eaton`s hybrid business unit in Galesburg, Mich.

 Like the power system used in hybrid automobiles, Eaton`s diesel-electric hybrid is designed to recoup energy typically lost in braking and apply it to the engine`s battery for future use.

Real-world testing of the system in fleet delivery trucks with FedEx Express, UPS, Coca-Cola, Pepsi and several public utilities reported fuel economy improvements of 40 to 60 percent, as well as lower emissions.

However, the difference in price between conventional diesel trucks and hybrid models remains significant, Davis said.

First to manufacture trucks outfitted with the new technology will be International Truck and Engine, Kenworth Truck, Peterbilt Motors and Freightliner.

Davis said Eaton plans to produce several hundred diesel-electric hybrid systems this year to meet current demand while launching an effort to expand its hybrid manufacturing capability over the next three years. The systems are assembled in Greenfield, Ind.

The company also is working to develop a diesel-hydraulic power system that would replace a truck`s traditional drive train and transmission.

"We see growth not only in the U.S., but across the world," Davis said. "We`re very focused on bringing new technologies to the market."

Shares of Eaton rose $6.98, or 8 percent, Friday, to $93.45 on the New York Stock Exchange. 

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