Eaton Introduces its First Commercially Available Hybrid Power System in China

Eaton Corporation this month formally introduced its first commercially-available hybrid power system in China with Beiqi Foton Bus Company, deploying the hybrid system in 30 city buses for Guangzhou Yiqi Bus.

Eaton is a leading provider of diesel-electric hybrid power systems in the United States for truck and bus applications and is also pioneering hydraulic hybrid power systems technologies for use in refuse trucks, delivery vehicles, buses and other applications.

Beiqi Foton Bus Company and Eaton delivered the 30 hybrid diesel-electric transit buses to Guangzhou Yiqi Bus on January 11 during a ceremony hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of its Clean Energy Trade Mission to China and India. The 30 buses will be deployed to carry passengers in the city, with an expected fuel savings of up to 27 percent, along with similar reductions in particulate and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

“We are pleased to provide Eaton’s hybrid power system technology in working with Beiqi Foton to meet the needs of Guangzhou Yiqi Bus,” said James W. McGill, Eaton vice president – Asia/Pacific. “Innovative Eaton technologies such as our hybrid power systems are generating improved fuel economy and significant environmental benefits. We look forward to supplying more of these systems to serve the growing Chinese market.”

Kevin Beaty, leader of the hybrid power business unit in Eaton’s Truck Group, said delivery of the 30 hybrid powered buses is “a significant milestone for Eaton in placement of hybrid power in China. Vehicle makers, fleets and users in China are working hard to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases in their cities, and we are excited about being involved,” Beaty said. “This is one of those opportunities where ‘growth’ and ‘green’ can succeed together.”

Guangzhou Yiqi operates approximately half of the transit buses in Guangzhou, a city of 12 million people in China’s Guangdong province. Beiqi Foton Bus, one of China’s leading commercial vehicle makers, first brought Eaton’s hybrid power system to China in two prototype buses that were developed and deployed for testing in 2006.

Among a wide range of Eaton products that enable customers to grow efficiently and responsibly, Eaton hybrid power systems have earned the company recognition as a global leader in alternative power for commercial vehicles. Eaton is developing both hybrid electric and hybrid hydraulic technologies for a variety of commercial vehicle applications. Both hybrid technologies use dual power sources to capture and store regenerative energy, as well as providing traction power to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Eaton’s hybrid electric technology is being used in the United States by companies such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola, and in Europe by DAF Trucks and Daimler Trucks. Eaton plans to commercialize its parallel hybrid hydraulic technology, called the Eaton HLA® system, in 2008 in refuse trucks, and other applications will follow. Eaton is also working with the U.S. EPA and other partners to develop a series hybrid hydraulic drivetrain that has demonstrated 50-70% better fuel economy in a package delivery vehicle.

[source: EATON]