ZF Offers PowerLine Transmission Solution for American Trucks

Manufacturers of medium trucks in North America will soon receive a new transmission option for their vehicles. The German company ZF, specialized in driveline and chassis solutions, has recently presented its PowerLine 8HP transmission as well as other production-ready technologies at the Transportation Research Center near East Liberty, Ohio.

ZF trucks prepared for the presentation

The presented automatic transmission has attracted much attention from media reporters, but it can hardly be considered as a new product for the American market. This solution was unveiled for the North American customers last year in Indianapolis. Moreover, it is interesting to point out that more than 15 million of PowerLine units (the scaled-down 8AP version) have been actively used in passenger cars on European and Asian markets for more than 12 years. The 8HP is a more powerful version intended for trucks. ZF engineers increased its dimensions and improved durability qualities of the truck transmission.

Learn more about PowerLine transmission from this great ZF presentation video

ZF expects to see the first PowerLine-equipped trucks in North America next year, but has not specified the truck brand, which will be the first to get this promising ZF transmission. However, ZF representatives claim that the PowerLine unit can easily replace numerous Allison solutions (1000, 2000, and the major part of 3000 Series trasnmsisions).

Check out ZF PowerLine specs

The Powerline unit has spectacular parameter specification and numerous features, but the biggest advantage of this sophisticated unit is its running performance. Reporters, who attended the presentation, were offered to take a ride on 2 trucks equipped with the ZF gear shifting solution and 1 "baseline" truck to see the benefits of the PowerLine unit in action. And the German solution surpassed all expectations

The PowerLine-shifted truck can take off from 1-st or 2-gear, depending on the load, and it will skip shifts when it is possible. This transmission is also equipped with a neutral idle parameter that disconnects the torque convertor to take the load off the engine when the truck stops. Gear ratios range from 4.89 in first to 0.64 in eighth, which is like double or maybe triple overdrive.

A truck equipped with the ZF PowerLine transmission in action

At the stage of development, ZF engineers focused on the fuel efficiency characteristic as one the main priorities for this product. It is claimed that the ZF transmission ensures at least 10% improvement in fuel economy in comparison with competitive products. Moreover, the PowerLine unit weighs only 148 kg and provides 30% better acceleration. This transmission can be equipped with a stop/start feature, which switches on and off the engine when the truck approaches traffic lights. ZF engineers embedded an accumulator inside the gear shifting unit to assist with the engine restart. The stop/start feature will help truck manufacturers to meet GHG emission requirements.

The PowerLine design also includes a lock-up clutch in 1-st gear ensuring more rational use of energy. The torque convertor in this unit is responsible only for launching and stopping the truck. When driving the truck equipped with the ZF transmission, you can make sure how fast and smooth this it changes gears. Moreover, there are no delays in torque delivery, when you speed up. As for maintenance services, this gear shifting unit has prolonged ATF-change intervals and the oil filter can be used during the whole service life of the transmission unit. The PowerLine unit has numerous control units inside the housing and no external sensors or harnesses, thereby providing extra durability.