At the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, ZF premiered its new AxTrax 2 electric axle platform. The integrated and modular e-powertrain system for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is planned to begin series production in the U.S. in 2025, and in Europe in late 2024.
AxTrax 2 is an axle-based, fully integrated system, featuring a compact design to help maximize the available space for batteries and enhance a manufacturer’s design flexibility for future vehicle concepts, according to the company. The company additionally notes that the system can be fully synchronized with key vehicle functions, including braking, ADAS and automated driving systems, to help enhance vehicle safety and efficiency. It also enables advanced digital and telematics systems via CAN bus to communicate and share e-axle system information.
ZF notes that the AxTrax 2 platform is offered in two variants: AxTrax 2 with one e-drive and AxTrax 2 dual with two integrated e-drives. AxTrax 2 will cover Class 5-7 commercial vehicles with a single e-axle in a 4×2 or 6×2 or even up to class 8 with two e-axles in a 6×4 configuration. Both models of AxTrax 2 are designed to replace the engine, transmission, drive shaft, differential and conventional axle to electrify a commercial vehicle. This line-up enables opportunities to reimagine commercial vehicle form, function, and architecture, enhancing aerodynamics, enabling automation, or adding battery capacity, the company says.
In addition, ZF offers in-house developed e-components specifically designed to meet the requirements of the commercial vehicle market. Modularity enables manufacturers to use ZF’s full e-powertrain systems, or alternatively ‘mix and match’ their own components, while taking advantage of synergies and common interfaces, the company says. These include: e-motor, silicon carbide (SiC) inverter, e-drive control unit, e-actuator and multi-speed transmission.
ZF will additionally display complimentary products such as: ZF’s ReAX Adaptive Steering, EPS fully electric steering and eWorX – an Electric Power Take-Off System (ePTO) and a fully functional eWorX system at ACT Expo.
