Coca-Cola Distributor Orders Hybrid Trucks

Coca-Cola Enterprises is buying 120 new trucks this year powered by Eaton's hybrid electric drivetrain systems.

The order from the world's largest marketer, producer and distributor of Coca-Cola products represents the largest North American commercial order to date for Eaton's hybrid systems. It follows the beverage company's purchase of 20 trucks with Eaton hybrid power systems in 2007.
Extensive testing and evaluations conducted by Coca-Cola Enterprises found that Eaton's hybrid-electric drivetrain equipped trucks decreased emissions by roughly 32 percent and fuel consumption by up to 37 percent as compared to conventionally powered trucks in Coca-Cola's current fleet. Coca-Cola also reported lower maintenance costs on the hybrid-powered trucks.
"In addition to the environmentally friendly advantages that hybrid vehicles deliver, we are also happy to report that driver acceptance has been highly favorable, especially in high start-and-stop applications," Dave Leasure, corporate director of fleet procurement for Coca-Cola Enterprises. "The hybrid drive units have been performing very well in communicating with the electronic engines, always giving us the necessary torque and horsepower when it is needed."
Eaton employs 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.