ZF Presents New PowerLine Transmission for Commercial Trucks
Recently, ZF has presented its new transmission solution for commercial trucks. This new 8-speed automatic gearbox is intended for commercial trucks in vocational applications up to 57 thousand pounds (25,855 kg).
In fact, this PowerLine gearbox
solution can hardly be called new. The original model of this gearbox has been
actively applied in passenger cars for more than 10 years. This ZF product
proved to be not only quite reliable, but also extremely adaptable to new
applications. Thanks to high professional skills of ZF specialists and introduction
of several control algorithms, ZF managed to come up with the transmission
having peculiar operation characteristics.
According to ZF representatives, the
new product has the torque transmission capacity of up to 1355 Nm. The gear set,
patented by ZF, and an advanced skip-shift feature contributed to enhanced
acceleration rate. This gearbox is developed for improved reliability,
supported by embedded TCU with one central electric coupler and gearbox-mounted
oil cooler. Moreover, the new product ensures a forty-five percent weight
benefit and greater fuel economy when considering comparable products. ZF
engineers also succeeded in reducing noise emissions by 30 percent. It will
have a good impact on driving comfort.
Having a wide range of operation
capabilities, the PowerLine is currently ready-to-go in existing trucks and may
be considered as a viable option for electric-hybrid gearboxes in future zero-
and near-zero emission trucks.
Watch a test drive of the new ZF PowerLine
transmission
The top-start function is especially remarkable for fleets, as the unit automatically and seamlessly shifts out of D to N-gear after 3 seconds – when a vehicle has stopped at a traffic light, for example. This simple operation significantly decreases the amount of torque the gearbox is producing and, as a result, the amount of fuel the engine has to burn to keep those torque levels up. As a result, implementation of this function leads up to a 5% boost in fuel economy. ZF plans to start production of the new PowerLine solution in 2020.
