News

Heavy transmission maker ZF will take the wraps off a new 12-speed manual version of the trusty Ecosplit transmission at the IAA Truck Show in Hannover in September.

This transmission meets the customer requirement for a direct-drive transmission capable of handling the high torque outputs of the current breed of long-distance heavy-duty trucks. The transmission has a maximum torque rating of 2800Nm and is equipped with a new weight-saving  housing.

Hybrid technology is one of the most exciting developments ZF is working on and the Hannover show will see it take the wraps off its range of hybrid products for the light- and medium-duty truck sector. ZF reckons you can expect somewhere in the region of 25% fuel savings by opting for hybrid on urban applications.

Finally, on the driveline front, ZF has announced it will be offering a fully automatic transmission for light commercial vehicles. It calls the new gearbox Powershift and it will go into production in 2010. Nissan will be its first customer, taking the box for a new range of pickups in the US.

At Hannover, ZF will also unveil a new cab suspension which does away with the front cross stabiliser bar and shifts it to the rear. This frees up valuable space at the front of the cab to allow for improved cooling solutions from the truck manufacturer.

One of the other IAA highlights from ZF will be its new rack and pinion steering system  which, when combined with independent front suspension, can offer a weight saving of up to 50kg, as well as improved steering response and stability. This is the application of passenger car technology into the European commercial vehicle sector for the first time and demonstrates ZF's intentions for future developments.