Eaton Corporation (Eaton), a US-based power management company, has introduced new hybrid electric drive system in Australia. The new system will power a Crown Coaches, Pty. Ltd. (Crown Coaches), wheelchair-accessible school bus. The coach will start service in early February 2009. By using this hybrid power system, the vehicle operators can attain the fuel economy improvements ranging over 30% and 40% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
The coach was built by Bus and Coach International (BCI). The bus was introduced at a media event in early February 2009 in Melbourne with representatives from the company and Crown Coaches, and also Australia’s Minister for Education, Bronwyn Pike, MP.
Robert Clarke, manager of Eaton’s truck business in Australia, stated, We are very excited to have our latest technology hybrid power system introduced into the Australian market. 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.
Vic Haoust, director of Crown Coaches, stated, We have passionately tackled environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, water recycling, preventive maintenance and industrial waste management. The BCI hybrid bus is another step toward promoting cleaner air and a healthier environment for everyone.
The company has established the development of the new system for commercial vehicles with the current hybrid offering, providing not just enhanced fuel economy but also the increased functionality, environmental benefits, quieter operation and better performance. In a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the diesel engine is coupled with the electric motor/generator and batteries or other electrical storage devices to create a hybrid system.
The company’s hybrid-electric power system includes automated clutch, electric motor/generator, motor controller/inverter, energy storage unit, automated manual transmission and an integrated supervisory hybrid control module. The company’s new system takes the energy which is created while a vehicle brakes, and regenerates it for later use, thus enhancing fuel economy and decreasing carbon emissions. The new system is most effective in vehicles that start and stop regularly like city buses, refuse collection trucks and the suburban delivery vehicles. The automated manual transmission offers easy-to-drive, two pedal operations for the driver.