Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - October 2022 - 24

eAxles gain TRACTION
ELECTRIFICATION FEATURE
Several commercial truck OEMs have already integrated Allison's eGen Power axles into existing chassis.
development and manufacturing facility in Auburn
Hills, Michigan.
Volvo extends BEV range
Volvo Trucks revealed a new, fully electric rear axle at
IAA Transportation in Hanover that it claims frees
space for more batteries, enabling even longer range
for Volvo's battery-electric trucks. The OEM currently
has six different BEV models in serial production, with
a range up to 440 km (273 miles) on one charge, depending
on the model.
The new eAxle integrates the electric motors and the
transmission into the rear unit. The additional space
afforded by such compact packaging will also benefit
upcoming fuel-cell electric trucks, the company notes,
by allowing room to install other components. Volvo
Trucks plans to start serial production of cab-over-enVolvo
Trucks' new, fully electric rear axle integrates the electric motors and
transmission into one unit, freeing up space for more batteries.
All of Allison's eAxles have a recommended voltage range of
550-850V with a min/max of 400/900V. Each axle can be upfitted
with either drum or air actuated discs and are reportedly compatible
for most on-highway applications. Each axle also features a
two-speed gearbox integrated into the central housing, which enables
high torque operation when needed, as well as optimized efficiency
at cruising speeds. Differential-lock functionality is a feature
across Allison's eAxle range.
Allison states that several commercial truck OEMs have already
integrated its eAxles into existing chassis. Emergency One, a U.K.based
manufacturer of fire and rescue vehicles, has implemented
the eGen Power 100D into its E1 EV0 platform on a MAN TGM chassis.
The vehicle was presented at Interschutz in Hannover, Germany.
Hino Trucks also has been validating Allison's eGen Power 100D in
its XL series heavy-duty BEVs, which was demonstrated at NTEA
Work Truck Week in Indianapolis, Indiana, earlier this year.
Allison is marketing its eGen Power axles as a bolt-in solution
compatible with current commercial frame designs. The next generation
of its eGen Power 100D now is being built at its electric-axle
24 October 2022
gine trucks with the new eAxle in " a few years. "
" This is a breakthrough for electric trucks and a clear
signal that there will be a huge demand for public fastchargers
for heavy trucks in the near future, not the
least along highways, " Jessica Sandström, SVP global
product management at Volvo Trucks, said in a statement.
" We will continue with our versatile battery-electric
trucks that are already in production. They can currently
cover a wide range of transport assignments. In a
few years, we will add this new rear eAxle for customers
covering longer routes than today. "
Shorter lead times
ZF, Schaeffler, Allison and Volvo Trucks are well on
their way to bringing electrified drive axles into the
light-, medium- and heavy-duty truck electrification
space. For OEMs, the benefit of an eAxle is the capability
to electrify new and legacy chassis with minimal
engineering changes, which in turn provides a
shorter lead to bring such a vehicle to market. The
scalability of eAxles also enables suppliers to develop
a single design which can be easily adapted for use
across applications.
-with reporting by Ryan Gehm
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
FROM TOP: ALLISON; VOLVO TRUCKS

Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - October 2022

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