Leading the way

Eaton Corporation strives to be an innovator and knowledge leader in sustainability—continually researching and developing new, inventive solutions to address the growing need for a more sustainable way of operating business. While Eaton already has a reputation for its current green products, such as Power Xpert® meters and Pow-R-Command™ lighting and load control solutions, the company is dedicated to providing more options for energy-saving technologies.

To that goal, Eaton 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. This funding is part of the recently announced $2.4 billion in grants by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This will be the most comprehensive electrical vehicle program in the country—both in commercial and residential—and it will take place over the next 18 months.

Eaton has been developing electrical and hybrid power systems for trucks and buses for more than 20 years, and with this experience, the company is now moving into hybrid power systems for commercial vehicles. 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.

In March, President Obama previewed the first plug-in hybrid electric utility truck with a power system that was developed by Eaton Corporation and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The plug-in hybrid truck is one of the 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.

Companies, such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola Enterprises, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart, are using delivery vehicles with Eaton hybrid systems. In addition, trucks with Eaton hybrid power are being integrated for service use in utility and telecom systems in North America.

The Eaton hybrid system can be recharged by plugging it into a standard 120V or 240V electrical outlet. After the system is charged, the battery energy can supplement engine power and provide power to auxiliaries. Additionally, Eaton is working with EPRI to provide the accompanying plug-in charging infrastructure (EVSE).

The benefits of the Eaton hybrid power systems include:

Fuel economy improvement ranging from 30 to 60 percent
Reduction in emissions ranging from 30 to 60 percent
Extended brake life
Idle time reductions of up to 87 percent during worksite operations

Mark Gunther at GreenBiz.com writes, “What’s interesting about this ... is that its impact goes well beyond a single company going “green.” If hybrid-electric power systems for trucks and busses achieve economies of scale, they could transform an industry—replacing thousands of diesel-powered vehicles, dramatically reducing fuel consumption and curbing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. It’s this kind of industry transformation that’s needed to address the dangers of global warming.”


	Leading the way Eaton Corporation strives to be an innovator and knowledge leader in sustainability—continually researching and developing new, inventive solutions to address the growing need for a more sustainable way of operating business. While Eaton already has a reputation for its current green products, such as Power Xpert® meters and Pow-R-Command™ lighting and load control solutions, the company is dedicated to providing more options for energy-saving technologies. To that goal, Eaton 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. This funding is part of the recently announced $2.4 billion in grants by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This will be the most comprehensive electrical vehicle program in the country—both in commercial and residential—and it will take place over the next 18 months. Eaton has been developing electrical and hybrid power systems for trucks and buses for more than 20 years, and with this experience, the company is now moving into hybrid power systems for commercial vehicles. 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. In March, President Obama previewed the first plug-in hybrid electric utility truck with a power system that was developed by Eaton Corporation and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The plug-in hybrid truck is one of the 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. Companies, such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola Enterprises, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart, are using delivery vehicles with Eaton hybrid systems. In addition, trucks with Eaton hybrid power are being integrated for service use in utility and telecom systems in North America. The Eaton hybrid system can be recharged by plugging it into a standard 120V or 240V electrical outlet. After the system is charged, the battery energy can supplement engine power and provide power to auxiliaries. Additionally, Eaton is working with EPRI to provide the accompanying plug-in charging infrastructure (EVSE). The benefits of the Eaton hybrid power systems include: Fuel economy improvement ranging from 30 to 60 percent Reduction in emissions ranging from 30 to 60 percent Extended brake life Idle time reductions of up to 87 percent during worksite operations Mark Gunther at GreenBiz.com writes, “What’s interesting about this ... is that its impact goes well beyond a single company going “green.” If hybrid-electric power systems for trucks and busses achieve economies of scale, they could transform an industry—replacing thousands of diesel-powered vehicles, dramatically reducing fuel consumption and curbing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. It’s this kind of industry transformation that’s needed to address the dangers of global warming.”