Eaton Corp. has launched its hybrid-electric drive system in Australia, with the first system installed on a Crown Coaches, Pty. Ltd. School bus built by Bus and Coach International (BCI) going into service earlier this month.
Eaton’s hybrid-electric power system, which consists of an automated clutch, electric motor/generator, motor controller/inverter, energy storage unit, automated manual transmission and an integrated supervisory hybrid control module, takes energy created during braking and regenerates it for later use, the company said.
According to Eaton, the process increases fuel economy up to 30% and reduces carbon dioxide emissions up to 40%, while improving functionality, minimizing environmental impact and making less noise.
“We are very excited to have our latest technology hybrid power system introduced into the Australian market,” said Robert Clarke, manager of Eaton’s truck business in Australia. “We’re happy to be able to offer a dependable, economically-viable solution that offers significant fuel savings and reduced carbon emissions. We have experienced significant local interest in this technology during the past year and expect adoption of the hybrid system to increase.”
