Jun 6, 2012 9:34 AM

Eaton Corporation has announced enhancements that will increase fuel economy, performance, and payback of its hybrid power system for commercial vehicles. These include a new high-capacity battery, a new single-phase 115-volt AC Auxiliary Power Generator (APG), a higher-capacity clutch to expand applications up to 860 ft-lb of torque, and a new remanufactured battery for aftermarket purchase.

At the heart of the high-capacity lithium-ion battery is new technology that employs the latest battery cell architecture. The new design increases the fuel savings of Eaton’s hybrid power system an additional 5% to 10% while improving vehicle performance. In addition, the new battery more than doubles the engine-off capability of the system for job-site operations and extends battery life.

Eaton is also introducing a new single-phase 5-kilowatt auxiliary power generator in autumn 2012. The APG option converts high-voltage DC current from the battery to 115-volt AC current that can be used by any number of tools on the job site. The APG unit is more compact and 25 pounds lighter than Eaton’s previous offering.

Both the new high-capacity battery and APG will be rolled out during fourth quarter 2012 to serve utility applications. The high-capacity battery will be available for city delivery and beverage tractor applications in the third quarter of 2012.

Eaton also is offering higher-capacity clutches that can handle engines up to 860 ft-lb of torque and 300 horsepower. This increased torque capacity results in greater vehicle performance for heavier applications, including select tandem axle configurations. 

Lastly, Eaton will begin offering a remanufactured battery in July that will provide fleets with an aftermarket battery option at an affordable cost.

For more information visit www.eaton.com/roadranger.