Singapore’s First Hybrid City Buses Deployed with Eaton Hybrid Technology

Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation, SBS Transit and Shanghai Sunlong Bus Co., Ltd., announced today the deployment of Singapore’s first two hybrid-powered city buses. The buses will operate on a trial basis in normal passenger transit duty and are expected to generate fuel savings of 25 to 30 percent along with similar reductions in particulate and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

“Eaton is proud to work with SBS and Shanghai Sunlong and their efforts to lead the adoption of clean power technologies in Malaysia,” said Howard Liu, president of Eaton’s Vehicle Group in the Asia Pacific region. “Success of this field trial could lead to the eventual replacement of nearly 1,500 buses with clean, efficient hybrid power.”

The Eaton hybrid electric power system is already in use in more than 1,000 buses globally. Eaton worked with Shanghai Sunlong to specially design the system for deployment in Singapore. The hybrid system combines a traditional bus diesel engine with an electric motor that has a peak power output of 44 kilowatt. Eaton matches the system to an automated six-speed Eaton transmission and stores energy in four lithium-ion batteries. The hybrid system includes start-stop technology that automatically switches off the diesel engine when the bus is stationary and turns it back on when power is needed. This system dramatically reduces emissions and noise, especially at bus stops.

Eaton offers the world’s most complete line-up of hybrid power systems for commercial vehicle applications. Eaton’s hybrid business is located at the company’s Vehicle Group headquarters in Charleston Township, Mich. near Kalamazoo. Engineering, development and testing of hybrid systems is also done at Eaton facilities in Marshall and Southfield, Michigan.

Eaton hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and two hybrid hydraulic power systems are available or in development on truck models including DAF, Freightliner, Ford, International, Iveco, Kenworth, Mercedes-Benz and Peterbilt and on bus models from BCI, Foton, Heng Tong, JNP, King Long, Shen Long, Solaris, Yutong and Zhongtong. Eaton hybrid power systems have accumulated more than 50 million miles of road-tested service around the world and contributed to the saving of more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel and reducing more than15,000 tons of harmful emissions.

Companies such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola Enterprises, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart are using delivery vehicles with Eaton hybrid systems. Work trucks with Eaton hybrid power are also in service at Florida Power and Light and many utility and telecom companies across North America. Benefits of the existing Eaton hybrid systems include fuel savings up to 35 percent, with similar percentages in emission reductions, extended brake life and idle time reductions of up to 87 percent during work site operations.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2009 sales of $11.9 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.