Eaton’s Vehicle Group develops 48V tech for global emission regulations

Power management company Eaton has announced its Vehicle Group has developed a series of 48-volt technologies to assist its global commercial vehicle customers transitioning from traditional 12 and 24-volt vehicle systems to systems that include 48-volt architecture.

These 48-volt systems can power new, advanced energy-consuming components – particularly e-mobility – and can help reduce emissions and improve fuel economy and performance, Eaton says, adding that its supercapacitors can quickly charge and discharge at higher rates than lithium-ion batteries.

“This development comes as global vehicle manufacturers are making decisions to adopt new technologies to meet emissions regulations,” Eaton’s Vehicle Group technology development manager Ben Karrer says.

“Of the options available, 48-volt architectures are becoming more popular because they can decrease both CO2 and NOx simultaneously, which helps both our customers and the environment.”

Many vehicle systems today are powered directly from mechanical power generated by the engine, which runs 12-volt systems such as air conditioning and pumps.

Eaton is developing 48-volt systems that include motor generators and inverters that generate 48-volt DC power for the vehicle. It also produces 48-volt DC/DC converters that step power down from 48-volt vehicle architectures to power 12 and 24-volt systems.

Collectively, new emissions regulations will reduce tailpipe NOx limits by up to 90%, accelerating the need for global engine manufacturers to employ additional emissions reduction strategies.

Eaton’s Vehicle Group is also developing power electronics for 48-volt electric catalyst heating, which provides heat directly to the vehicle’s aftertreatment system. This active heating helps catalyst components reach efficient operating temperatures faster upon engine start and maintain those temperatures during low load operation. This will be an essential strategy for reducing emissions to the levels required by future regulations, it says.

“Forty-eight-volt power will also be used to power systems such as HVAC and the engine cooling fan, which are traditionally run by the engine,” Karrer says.

“Today’s systems are not intelligent—you can’t control when they’re on or off or adjust the levels. Converting those components to electric alternatives allows you to intelligently control them and eliminate mechanical loads.”

An electrical engine cooling fan and electric air conditioning compressor are also under development.

Eaton’s Vehicle Group is developing a wide range of 48-volt energy storage solutions, including lead-acid batteries and supercapacitors.

“We’re integrating various energy storage technologies into a larger storage pack including controls, fusing, and contactors,” Karrer explains.

“Eaton’s Electrical Components Group is our partner for supercapacitors, and we will be working with most commercial vehicle battery manufacturers for lead-acid batteries.”

Eaton’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services.

Its 2020 revenues were US$17.9 billion, and Eaton products are sold in more than 175 countries.

Eaton featured in EVs and Beyond earlier this year.