KALAMAZOO, MI — Eaton Corp. has been awarded several U.S. patents for the company’s hybrid electric power system. The system will be commercially available through several major OEMs in 2007.

The patents are focused on controls and systems related to Eaton’s hybrid technology for commercial vehicles. In applications where a truck operates from an off-highway job site, such as utility and telecom applications, the Eaton ePTO (power take-off) feature provides the ability to run a vehicle’s power take-off while the engine is off – resulting in a fuel savings of up to 60 percent. This feature also reduces emissions and noise by cutting engine idle times up to 87 percent, the company said.

“The granting of these patents is a very significant milestone for us as we prepare for the production release of our hybrid system,” said Kevin Beaty, manager of Eaton’s hybrid business unit. “In addition to protecting our intellectual property, these patents demonstrate some of the unique technology Eaton is bringing to the hybrid power systems marketplace. I’m proud of our team’s achievement and our ongoing contribution to the commercialization of hybrid technology for the commercial vehicle industry.”

For more details on the Eaton Electric Hybrid System, visit: http://www.eaton.com.