New xFE transmissions from Allison

Allison Transmission has introduced two new versions of its xFE (for extra fuel economy) fully automatic transmission for use in medium-duty trucks in the EMEA region.

Available now, the 3000 xFE and 3200 xFE models are designed for engines producing up to 370 horsepower and 1695 Nm (dependent on the application), and gross vehicle weight up to 28.5 tons.

Allison Transmission has introduced two new versions of its xFE (for extra fuel economy) fully automatic transmission for use in medium-duty trucks in the EMEA region.

Compared to the standard 3000 and 3200 Series transmissions, the new 3000 xFE and 3200 xFE can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption by up to 3.7% said Allison.

The greatest gains are made at speeds below 20 mph (32 kph), depending on axle ratio, and above 45 mph (72 kph), the company added.

Gradeability, the fully-loaded vehicle’s ability to climb an incline at a steady speed without needing to downshift and work the engine harder, also improves under 30mph (48 kph). These characteristics make the new transmissions particularly well-suited to slow-speed urban applications and stop-start duty cycles such as refuse collection, said Allison.

“Truck fleet operators everywhere are under legislative pressure to reduce emissions, and of course all fleets would like to reduce their fuel costs. These new xFE transmissions could be a critical tool in helping OEMs and fleets make a 15% carbon dioxide emission reduction by 2025 and 30% by 2030, as required by EU carbon dioxide emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, said Allison.

Doing much more with today’s efficient diesel technology is an affordable and environmentally-responsible stepping stone on the path towards electrification and other non-fossil fuel propulsion systems for which we also have suitable propulsion solutions, ” said Sjoerd Vos, Allison Transmission director of EMEA Marketing.

Allison said the xFE primarily increases fuel efficiency by locking up at lower speeds, enabling the engine to spend more time in higher ranges and at lower revolutions per minute (rpm). In addition to reducing fuel consumption and emissions, this also reduces the powerpack’s heat rejection, further improving performance.

The new 3000 xFE and 3200 xFE take this strategy further by locking up in first gear rather than second, and by making the final overdrives deeper, improving the spread of gear ratios from 5.37 to 5.91. These changes have been made without any need to alter the external form, fitting, servicing schedule, or weight of the 3000 Series.

Both the 3000 xFE and 3200 xFE models are offered with or without a retarder, and both are equipped with Allison’s FuelSense 2.0 package of smart controls to balance fuel economy and performance.