President Obama Previews First Plug-In Hybrid Electric Utility Truck System Developed By Eaton And EPRI For Southern Californ...
March 19 2009 - 3:00PM
Business Wire
President Barack Obama today previewed an innovative plug-in
hybrid electric utility truck with a power system developed by
diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation (NYSE:ETN)
and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The President
visited the Electric Vehicle Technical Center of Southern
California Edison to view an array of advanced technology
vehicles.
The plug-in hybrid truck, which is estimated to deliver fuel
economy improvements of up to 70 percent compared to a
conventionally powered truck, with corresponding reductions in
harmful emissions, was developed for Southern California Edison.
Eaton is in the early test phase of the plug-in system and is
considering it as a potential future offering.
�Eaton is pleased to add plug-in hybrid power systems to our
portfolio, in concert with EPRI and Southern California Edison at
this important event attended by President Obama,� said James E.
Sweetnam, president, Eaton�s Truck Group. �We salute Southern
California Edison, a long-standing customer of ours, for its
commitment to innovation and energy efficiency.�
The plug-in hybrid truck is the first of five �boom and bucket�
trucks based on a Ford F-550 chassis that will be provided by
Eaton, EPRI and Ford to public and private utility fleets in the
United States for use and evaluation. In addition to fuel and
emissions savings while the truck is on the road, additional energy
savings are available by utilizing the electric side of the system
to power the ancillary systems and tools when the truck is stopped
at a work site.
The entire system can be recharged by plugging it into a
standard 120- or 240-volt electrical outlet. Once charged, the
battery energy can be used to supplement engine power and also
provide power to operate auxiliaries, such as the utility truck
boom.
Eaton is a global leader in hybrid systems for trucks and buses,
accumulating more than 12 million road miles in service around the
world. Eaton is the only company to offer both hybrid electric and
two hydraulic hybrid system technologies. Eaton�s hybrid systems
are available on truck models from International, Peterbilt,
Kenworth and Freightliner.
Companies such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Wal-Mart are
using delivery vehicles with the Eaton system. Work trucks with
Eaton hybrid power are also in service at dozens of utility and
telecom companies across North America. Benefits of the existing
Eaton hybrid systems include fuel economy improvement ranging from
30 to 60 percent, with similar percentages in emission reductions,
extended brake life and idle time reductions of up to 87 percent
during work site operations.
Last week, Eaton announced it has established a program to
assist diesel truck fleet owners in applying for the $156 million
in grants for diesel hybrid trucks that are available under the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Under the
Environmental Protection Agency�s related Diesel Emission Reduction
Act (DERA), funding is available through ARRA for up to 25 percent
of the cost of a new hybrid truck. An existing diesel truck has to
be taken out of service for each new hybrid truck that is
purchased. Fleets and equipment eligible for the DERA funding
include buses, medium- or heavy-duty trucks, marine engines and
locomotives.
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with
2008 sales of $15.4 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in
electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution
and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for
industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and
pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and
automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel
economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 75,000 employees and
sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more
information, visit www.eaton.com.
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