In the vocational world, durability, dependability and ease of use are bullet points that often trump fuel efficiency. Allison Transmission has a strong foothold in medium-duty markets, where fully automatic transmissions make up 90% of the marketplace. The difference between a fully automatic transmission like an Allison six-speed transmission and an AMT is that when a manual or AMT engages the clutch, the engine torque is interrupted and that power isn’t transferred down the drivetrain to the wheels, the transmission manufacturer explained. In a fully automatic transmission, the torque converter allows you to shift gears without interrupting the torque going from the engine to the wheels.
“Each shift is made automatically and consistently allowing drivers to precisely manage performance and exercise superior vehicle control,” said Molly Doyle, director of Americas marketing for Allison Transmission. “By multiplying the engine power, drivers get increased performance, faster acceleration and greater operational flexibility.”
That’s not to say that fuel tank savings isn’t on the list of ‘must haves’—Allison Transmission now offers FuelSense 2.0 featuring DynActive Shifting, which the company says will deliver up to 6% additional fuel savings beyond its original FuelSense software. Introduced in March 2014, Allison’s FuelSense packages of software and electronic components were introduced to provide fuel economy improvements. Through a set of proprietary software enhancements, the new FuelSense 2.0 technology uses DynActive Shifting to provide an infinitely variable combination of shift points. FuelSense 2.0 uses a learning algorithm to continuously find the ideal balance of fuel economy and performance, the company explained.
