Eaton Begins Commercial Production of Hybrid Power Systems for Medium-Duty Trucks
KALAMAZOO, MI – Eaton Corporation's medium-duty hybrid power systems are now commercially available and will be ready for customer deliveries in 2008 on the chassis of several major North American commercial vehicle manufacturers.
KALAMAZOO, MI – Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation’s medium-duty hybrid power systems are now commercially available and will be ready for customer deliveries in 2008 on the chassis of several major North American commercial vehicle manufacturers. These include International Truck and Engine Corporation, Kenworth Truck Co., Peterbilt Motors, and Freightliner Corporation.
The announcement follows more than four years of development and 2 million miles of successful field-testing in North America, Europe and Asia.
According to Kevin Beaty, manager of Eaton’s Hybrid Power Systems business unit, the company plans to produce several hundred systems in 2007. Eaton is planning to ramp-up production capacity over the next three years in order to meet customer demand and achieve economies of scale.
More than 220 hybrid-powered vehicles with Eaton’s advanced technology systems have been produced to date for testing and evaluation — most of which have been placed into service alongside their conventionally-powered counterparts. Vehicle configurations include package delivery vans, medium-duty delivery trucks, beverage haulers, city buses, and utility repair trucks — each of which has generated significant fuel economy gains and emission reductions.
Fleet customers for Eaton hybrid power have so far included FedEx Express, UPS, Coca-Cola Enterprises, The Pepsi Bottling Group, and 14 public utility fleets into which were placed 24 hybrid-powered repair trucks. Truck body builders also involved in the delivery of new vehicles include Altec Industries of Birmingham, Ala., Terex Corporation of Westport, Conn., and others. Additional testing is taking place in Europe with DAF Trucks, and in Asia with the Beiqi Foton Bus Company, one of China’s largest commercial vehicle producers. Eaton hybrid power systems in these and other applications are generating fuel economy improvements of up to 60 percent and significant reductions in harmful emissions.
Eaton is looking forward to significant government-related purchases of hybrid-powered trucks for its fleet operations noting that many of these same government agencies are also offering the purchase incentives.
In the hybrid systems being released into production, Eaton employs a parallel-type diesel-electric hybrid architecture with Eaton’s Fuller UltraShift automated transmission. It incorporates an electric motor/generator between the output of an automated clutch and input of the transmission. The system recovers energy normally lost during braking and stores the energy in batteries. When electric torque is blended with engine torque, the stored energy is used to improve fuel economy and vehicle performance for a given speed or used to operate the vehicle with electric power only. The system can also be designed to provide energy for use during engine-off worksite operations, further reducing noise, emissions, and fuel costs.
In addition to its diesel-electric hybrid products, Eaton is also developing advanced hybrid systems using hydraulic power. Working with the Environmental Protection Agency under a Cooperative Research and Development agreement, Eaton is helping develop a “series hydraulic hybrid” power system that combines a high-efficiency diesel engine and a unique hydraulic propulsion system to replace the conventional drivetrain and transmission. The vehicle uses hydraulic pump/motors and hydraulic storage tanks to recover and store energy, similar to what is done with electric motors and batteries in hybrid electric vehicles.
Eaton also has a “parallel hydraulic hybrid” system that utilizes regenerative braking and has a number of other applications. This system, known as the Eaton HLA system (for Hydraulic Launch Assist), is being initially targeted at refuse trucks.
More Operations

From Military Service to Fleet Leadership | Shades of Fleet
Military service ends, but the lessons don't. Hear how veterans are shaping fleet leadership through adaptability, teamwork, and mission-driven thinking.
Read More →Behind the Scenes: Building a Soap Box Derby Car from Scratch Part 1
Follow along as the Soap Box Derby build continues with the platform, steering system, and brakes coming together ahead of race day.
Read More →
Disaster Prep, AI & Reliability in Fleet Management | Truck Chat May Recap
Disaster readiness, workforce pressure, reliability strategy, AI overload, and the changing role of fleet leadership are all colliding at once. This month’s Truck Chat Recap breaks down what fleets need to pay attention to now.
Read More →
Fleet Readiness, Reliability, and the Pressure Points Shaping Operations Right Now
This month’s Truck Chat Recap explores disaster preparedness, workforce opportunity, expanding fleet leadership roles, reliability strategy, AI overload, and the operational realities fleets are navigating right now.
Read More →
Turn Fleet Data Into Smarter Decisions
Fleet leaders have access to more operational data than ever, but disconnected systems and unclear metrics often slow decision-making instead of improving it. This article outlines five practical steps fleets can take to transform fragmented data into actionable insights that improve planning, safety, utilization, and long-term performance.
Read More →
Limited Spots Remain - Apply for Work Truck Exchange Today!
Instead of walking endless show floors hoping to stumble into the right conversation, WTX is a curated experience built around making your time count.
Read More →Building Better Fleets Through People, Data, and Leadership | Fleet Legends
What can today’s fleet managers learn from 30+ years of industry leadership? Ruth Alfson shares real-world lessons on teams, tech, data, and the future of fleet.
Read More →
Motive Unifies Cold Chain Visibility & Cargo Security into a Single Sensor
Motive has launched its Door and Environmental Sensor, a wireless sensor that combines accurate climate monitoring with door-status data in a single device and integrates easily with existing Motive workflows.
Read More →
Optimizing Fleet Safety with Secure Device Integration
Unsecured devices are a hidden liability. Learn how precision-engineered mounting solutions enhance driver safety, streamline workflows and protect your technology.
Read More →
Work Truck Seeks Industry Voices for ‘Shades of Fleet: Pride in Motion’
Share your story in Work Truck’s new “Shades of Fleet” video series, spotlighting real voices, experiences, and perspectives across fleet.
Read More →

