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Eaton receives two grants from Czech Republic to develop electric off-highway technology

March 07, 2024

Eaton has received two grants from the Czech Republic to participate in innovative mobility projects in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). These projects include the design and development of an electrified off-road truck and the development of a new power distribution unit (PDU) and DC/DC converter (200 kW) for hydrogen fuel cell powered trucks.

The first grant will fund Eaton’s collaboration with Tatra Trucks, a Czech truck manufacturer, to produce an off-road electrified truck prototype, the Battery Electric Tatra Truck with multi-speed Transmission (BETTT). Eaton will integrate its PDU and 4-speed transmission for medium- and heavy-duty electrified vehicles (EVs) into this project.

The 4-speed EV transmission, part of Eaton’s eMobility portfolio, addresses the issue of contradictory requirements for high efficiency at top speeds and increased torque at launch and low speeds. It also promotes more complete brake energy regeneration, reducing total energy consumption and battery needs.

Eaton’s PDUs, also known as junction boxes or fuse boxes, connect the main battery power to the rest of the vehicle, providing a safety function to protect passengers and the vehicle’s power electronics from short circuits and other electrical system faults.

The second grant from the Czech government will fund a three-year program to develop and demonstrate a new PDU and DC/DC converter (200 kW) for hydrogen fuel cell powered trucks. An internal test bench with a fuel cell system (50 kW) will be established at the Eaton European Innovation Center (EEIC) to expand the company’s capabilities and developments in the field of hydrogen.