Bosch's ultra-premium Long Haul Alternator for heavy duty vehicles provides greater electrical power and efficiency on the road or at idle, and is designed to keep generating electrical power even when the underhood temperature climbs to as much as 125 degrees Celsius (257 degrees Fahrenheit).

"While the Long Haul Alternator produces the electrical power commercial vehicles need, it also saves fuel every mile it is driven, and fights underhood heat," said Lee Reighart, Group Product Manager, Starting and Charging Products for Bosch.

Producing 160 amps operating output, and 80 amps at idle, the Long Haul's higher charge rate at idle prolongs battery life by reducing deep cycling. Plus, the Long Haul is built to "really take the heat." Dual internal cooling fans are optimized for air flow and help maintain the Long Haul's even temperature under all operating conditions. Most other alternators fail at slightly over 110 degrees Celsius (230 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Long Haul's exclusive Self Protection Regulator technology automatically reduces the output to prevent failure when underhood temperatures reach 125 degrees Celsius (257 degrees Fahrenheit.) Output returns to normal when the temperature drops below 125 degrees Celsius (257 degrees Fahrenheit).P

"This is the ideal alternator for the higher underhood temperatures experienced by today’s hard-working heavy-duty vehicles," Reighart said.

The Long Haul alternator (AL9960LH), which replaces more than 220 different original equipment alternators, operates at more than 70 percent efficiency while conventional OE replacement alternators operate at 55 percent efficiency. This high efficiency design transforms energy into power rather than performance-robbing heat saving fuel every mile.

Backed by Bosch's exclusive 24-month, 250,000-mile warranty, the high-efficiency Long Haul Alternator can save as much as $400 in fuel savings over 100,000 miles on the road. The powerful alternator may well pay for itself in the first year it is installed – and as fuel costs continue to soar, this could be an increasingly important factor, Reighart indicated.

"It's called the Long Haul because this alternator is built to go the distance," according to Reighart. Built from the ground up with advanced engineering, the alternator features:

• Bosch patented high-efficiency winding technology that uses 30 percent more copper than conventional replacement alternators, producing increased efficiency and fuel savings.
• External, heat-dissipating regulator and external rectifier, mounted directly in the stream of air on the back of the unit combine with the alternator's heat sink design, to allow rapid heat dissipation and cool operation. The rectifier body design prevents clogging from heat-damaging debris.
• Advanced Bosch diodes in the rectifier and regulator provide longer life and are the best in the industry.
• Dual internal cooling fans maximize the cooling air pulled through the alternator, drawing air from both front and back of the alternator. Heat is driven out through vents circling the housing.
• Exclusive long-life bearings combine specially heat-treated, long-life steel bearings with heat-resistant and water repelling lubricant withstands wear for tens of thousands of miles.
• Reduced slip ring diameter reduces carbon brush wear.

Every Long Haul Alternator is a new unit, 100-percent factory-tested to ensure top performance and reliability. And its ability to replace over 220 different OE alternators with one Bosch part number, means reduced inventory and no core handling for fleets and distributors alike, Reighart said.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 260,000 associates generated sales of 43.7 billion euros, or $54.9 billion. In fiscal 2006. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 300 subsidiary and regional companies in over 50 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch spends more than three billion euros each year for research and development, and in 2006 applied for over 3,000 patents worldwide. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.

The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.

In North America, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive original equipment and aftermarket products, industrial automation and mobile products, power tools and accessories, security technology, thermo-technology, packaging equipment and household appliances. Bosch employs 24,750 associates in more than 80 primary and 20 associated facilities throughout the region with reported sales of $8.8 billion in 2006. For information on Bosch automotive aftermarket products visit www.boschautoparts.com.