Eaton Corp. announced that it has signed a long-term agreement to design and supply Argentine bus manufacturer TecnologĂa Avanzada en Transporte S.A. (TATSA), a company wholly owned by Consorcio Metropolitano de Transporte S.A., with a hybrid-electric power system for use in buses in Argentina and throughout South America.
“Expansion of hybrid power into South America is an important step in our growth because it shows a commitment to bringing clean transportation to the people in the region,” says Patrick Randrianarison, Eaton’s president for South America. “Eaton is fundamentally committed to helping the world use less energy and proud that our advanced hybrid technology has been selected to assist in this effort.”
The alliance will produce six preproduction units initially, followed by a production plan to manufacture 20 additional units in 2011. The companies will work closely to specially match Eaton’s hybrid system to TATSA’s 12-meter bus model. The hybrid system combines a Cummins 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.
Eaton says TATSA, a member of the Argentine commercial vehicle industry, is engaged in an expansion process in both domestic and international markets. Since 2005, the company has been building commercial vehicles at a plant in San Martin, Buenos Aires, and this year will start production in a new plant located in Maldonado, Uruguay. The company also is planning to set-up another plant in Fort Valley, Ga., in 2011. In the last few years, TATSA has signed production agreements with various automotive companies worldwide and also has established commercial representations in the United States, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, India and Qatar.
