Stimulus Funding to Assist Eaton in Nation’s Largest Deployment of Commercial Hybrid Vehicles & Electrical Charging Infrast...
August 12 2009 - 9:10AM
Business Wire
Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation (NYSE:ETN)
today announced its truck and electrical businesses will support a
$45.4 million grant to produce plug-in hybrid electric power
systems for 378 vehicles, the nation’s largest commercial hybrid
deployment to date. The funding is part of the recently announced
$2.4 billion in grants by the U.S. Department of Energy under the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Eaton will work with grant recipient South Coast Air Quality
Management District (SCAQMD) and other affiliates, including the
Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI), Altec Industries,
Compact Power Inc., Ford Motor Company and Southern California
Edison, in the deployment of plug-in hybrid electric commercial
vehicles to more than 50 utility and municipal fleets nationwide.
Eaton will also provide infrastructure for the electrical charging
of these vehicles.
“This funding is an important milestone in the advancement of
plug-in hybrid vehicles, and Eaton is pleased to be a recipient,”
said Alexander M. Cutler, Eaton chairman and chief executive
officer. “By providing our sustainable, energy-saving technologies
to power the vehicles as well as the electrical infrastructure
support to help keep them running, we believe we can provide Eaton
customers with the technology they need to move plug-in hybrids to
the next level.”
The development and deployment of the plug-in hybrid electric
vehicles (PHEV) and accompanying charging infrastructure will take
place over 18 months. Vehicles will be evaluated over a two-year
period.
“The production and demonstration of this fleet of vehicles is a
significant step in driving PHEV technology beyond the personal
transportation platform to a daily work application,” said Mark
Duvall, director of Electric Transportation at EPRI. “This project
leverages Eaton's current hybrid electric system and builds upon
nearly three years of ongoing work by Eaton and EPRI to develop
PHEV technology for commercial vehicles."
In the utility truck application, the plug-in hybrids will be
based on the Ford F550 chassis and will have a total range of at
least 300 miles. The system will provide fuel economy improvement
of up to 70 percent when compared to a standard utility vehicle,
with similar reductions in emissions and noise. The entire system
can be recharged by plugging it into a standard 120- or 240-volt
electrical outlet. In addition, the trucks will be capable of
powering auxiliary equipment and tools while stopped at a
worksite.
An important element in the adoption of these vehicles is the
electrical infrastructure for plug-in charging. As a leader in
electrical technology, Eaton will work with EPRI to develop plug-in
station technology for use by utilities and other customers across
the country.
In addition to being a leader in electrical infrastructure and
systems, Eaton is a global leader in the production of hybrid power
systems for trucks and buses, accumulating nearly 20 million road
tested miles of service around the world. Eaton is the only company
to offer hybrid electric as well as two hybrid hydraulic system
technologies and the charging infrastructure for commercial and
residential applications.
Companies such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola Enterprises, PepsiCo and
Wal-Mart are using delivery vehicles with Eaton hybrid systems.
Work trucks with Eaton hybrid power are also in service at dozens
of utility and telecom systems across North America, including
Pepco, American Electric Power, Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern
California Edison, and Florida Power and Light. Benefits of the
existing Eaton system include fuel economy improvement ranging from
30 to 70 percent, with similar percentages in emission reductions,
extended brake life, and idle time reductions of up to 87 percent
during work site operations.
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 70,000 employees and
sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more
information, visit www.eaton.com.
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