Czech Republic / USA – Ohio-based power management firm, Eaton Corporation has received two government grants from the Czech Republic to fund two mobility projects. The first is a joint program with Czech truck manufacturer, Tatra Trucks a.s. of Kopřivnice, to co-develop a specialised off-road truck prototype called the “Battery Electric Tatra Truck” with multi-speed Transmission (BETTT). Eaton will be responsible for the development of the power distribution unit (PDU) and 4-speed EV transmission.

The second grant from the Czech government pertains to a three-year program to develop a new PDU and DC/DC converter (200 kW) for hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks. A spokesperson from Eaton said: “to complete this project, we are establishing a hydrogen fuel cell lab at our European Innovation Centre in Prague to test out different fuel cell components, including air and hydrogen control systems, as well as working to integrate a fuel cell in a simulated vehicle or building.” These projects will help Eaton further its presence in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region.