The series hydraulic hybrid (SHH) system replaces the conventional drivetrain and transmission. The system uses hydraulic pumps and hydraulic storage tanks to capture and store energy, similar to what is done with electric motors and batteries in a hybrid electric vehicle.

UPS will deploy the first two package delivery vehicles with the SHH system in Minneapolis during the first half next year. Eaton, the developer of the SHH system, will monitor the vehicle’s fuel economy performance and emissions. An additional five vehicles will be deployed later in 2009 and early 2010.

Like many of the components that make up today’s vehicles, the hydraulic hybrid systems are intelligent software intensive systems. IBM is supplying Telelogic Rhapsody modeling software that helps Eaton improve quality and save time in the development of these hybrid systems. Eaton project teams use Telelogic Rhapsody to model the software that makes the SHH system work. This process allows the development teams to be more efficient and shorten design cycles.

Using Telelogic Rhapsody software improves the quality of the application software that is integral to the series hydraulic hybrid system development process. IBM’s Telelogic Rhapsody increases communication through graphic modeling, and provides validation through simulation and automated testing.

—Steve Zielinski, chief engineer for software in Eaton’s Fluid Power Group