Eaton Corp., a Galesburg-based power management company, is contributing several components to truck manufacturers participating in the U.S. Department of Energy’s SuperTruck II program.
SuperTruck II is a partnership between the DOE, truck manufacturers, and equipment suppliers that seeks to improve freight efficiency by more than 100 percent over an equivalent 2009 model, and improve engine brake thermal efficiency performance by 55 percent. The $100 million program is funded by the DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office and industry partners.
Eaton is supplying participating truck manufacturers with a high-efficiency transmission that achieves additional fuel savings by enabling engine-off coasting and waste heat recovery; a 48-volt mild hybrid electrically regenerative accessory drive that replaces the alternator in linehaul commercial vehicles; and precise exhaust gas recirculation controllers that enable simultaneous fuel and emissions reductions.
“This is a great opportunity for Eaton technologies to contribute to a program focused on improving the efficiency of commercial vehicles,” says Mihai Dorobantu, director of technology planning and government affairs for Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “We’re excited to work with several OEMs involved in SuperTruck II as we strive for a common goal of cleaner, more fuel-efficient commercial vehicles.”
SuperTruck II is a continuation of the DOE’s SuperTruck initiative, which launched in 2010 with the goal to improve heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50 percent. The long-term objective of the project is to develop technology that can lead to cleaner, more efficient heavy-duty trucks, which haul 80 percent of goods in the United States and use about 28 billion gallons of fuel per year, accounting for around 22 percent of total transportation energy usage.
In addition to the components Eaton is supplying to the SuperTruck teams, it offers several other technologies that help truck manufacturers achieve stringent upcoming fuel economy and emissions regulations.
“Since 2008, Eaton’s vehicle group has been laser-focused on reducing emissions and fuel consumption,” says Dorobantu. “We have — and continue to develop — technologies that reduce NOx emissions and improve the overall fuel economy of internal combustion diesel engines, as well technologies for electric, hybrid, and fuel cell commercial vehicles.”
