Global engine transmission specialist Allison Transmission has introduced its innovative, all-new 9-Speed transmission for commercial vehicles in the Middle East.
The new 9-Speed fully automatic transmission has been developed based upon Allison Transmission‘s proven 2000 Series™ fully automatic transmission with six speeds, which has covered approximately 200 million kilometres globally, said a statement announcing the launch from the global leader in the production of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions.
It added that the Allison 9-Speed was designed to meet the demands of commercial vehicles such as an 8-metre midi bus by offering more uptime, improved fuel economy, increased performance and reduced maintenance costs in tough start-stop duty cycles.
With the new 9-Speed transmission, Allison said it has brought a more sustainable transportation option to the Middle East market for many applications across a variety of medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles such as distribution trucks, rental and lease trucks, school buses, specialty trucks and defence vehicles.
Middle East collaborations by Allison Transmission
The introduction of the 9-Speed transmission in the Middle East follows the brand’s successful collaborations with bus manufacturers like King Long in providing 40 buses to support this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and Yutong & Higer in supplying over 250 school buses in Qatar with fully automatic transmissions.
With nine forward gears, including three overdrive gears, Allison Transmission says its 9-Speed stands out by offering reduced fuel consumption. While the new first and third gears empower more efficient performance at frequent start-stop duty cycles, the new ninth gear provides greater fuel economy while maintaining performance. The automatic skip shifts and the nine gears to choose from enhance the performance of the vehicle.
With its industry-leading ratio coverage and Allison fuel-saving technologies such as FuelSense® 2.0 with DynActive® Shifting and xFE™, the Allison 9-Speed transmission provides significant fuel savings. Other features include higher engine and Gross Combined Weight (GCW) ratings, optimised skip shifting, lifetime filter, integral cooler, input retarder and integrated engine stop-start system with vehicle hold.
The Allison 9-Speed transmission made its debut in collaboration with the Turkish vehicle manufacturer Otokar, with the introduction of a powerful new bus, the Otokar Navigo Giga 9.2 M. This model boasts a 39-seat capacity and is powered by a combination of the new 9-Speed transmission and the Cummins four-cylinder ISB4 5 engine.
Commitment for raising standards
“The new 9-Speed transmission is a testament to Allison’s commitment to help raise standards regarding performance, fuel efficiency and emissions while catering to a wide variety of commercial uses. The new transmission will help OEMs and end-users meet greenhouse regulation requirements with significant fuel economy and enhanced start performance with improved gear ratios and a highly efficient gear train which allows the torque converter to lock up early in first gear,” said Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Area Sales & OEM Account Manager Middle East & Pakistan, Allison Transmission.
In addition to its portfolio of fully automatic transmissions, Allison Transmission also offers the Allison eGen Power® family of fully electric axles. The e-Axles are designed to fit between the wheels of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses, replacing the vehicle’s traditional powertrain with electric power. eGen Power is a drop-in solution compatible and easily customisable to current vehicle frames, suspension and wheel ends, and is well suited to most OEM vehicle assembly processes.
The eGen Power single-motor e-Axle portfolio includes versions ranging from 8.5T (85S), 10T (100S) to 13T (130S). In partnership with Anadolu Isuzu, Allison recently announced the integration of the eGen Power 85S into the Isuzu Novo VOLT fully electric bus.