Photo: ZF Friedrichshafen
Known at large for the 8HP automatic transmission for rear- and all-wheel-drive vehicles, ZF Friedrichshafen also happens to offer the 9HP for FWD-based applications. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles utilizes both of them, and starting in a few years’ time, a third transmission will be adopted by hybridized vehicles with a front-longitudinal engine layout.
Manufacturing is set to commence at the Saarbrucken plant in Germany in 2022, and not long after that, production of the eight-speed gearbox will extend to facilities in the United States and China. So why did ZF Friedrichshafen invest in a transmission that incorporates an electric motor with a continuous output of 80 kW and a maximum output of 160 kW?
The Germans estimate that 70 percent of new vehicles in 2030 will feature an internal combustion engine, but electrification also has a place in there to lower CO2 emissions. In addition to eco-friendly credentials, the eight-speed automatic transmission with an integrated e-motor is capable of sending 450 Nm (332 pound-feet) of torque to the driven wheels of the vehicle.
Mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids are the target groups for ZF Friedrichshafen, which managed to integrate the power electronics into the transmission’s housing for superior packaging. This particular type of design also translates to fewer high-voltage cables, enhancing safety.
Like every other torque-converter automatic, the transmission has a hydraulic control unit which utilizes hydraulic fluid. From 3.1 liters in the outgoing eight-speed automatic, the hybridized automatic requires 1.8 liters thanks to direct shifting valves. Similar in design to electromagnetic actuators, these babies serve as the successors of electric pressure actuators.
"We are pleased being nominated as global transmission supplier by FCA,” said chief executive officer Wolf-Henning Scheider. “This is our second major order for the new 8HP and it confirms our strategy to focus on plug-in hybrids as an everyday solution and to develop attractive products in these areas.”
In addition to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, BMW also signed a contract for the fourth-generation 8HP with ZF Friedrichshafen three months ago.
The Germans estimate that 70 percent of new vehicles in 2030 will feature an internal combustion engine, but electrification also has a place in there to lower CO2 emissions. In addition to eco-friendly credentials, the eight-speed automatic transmission with an integrated e-motor is capable of sending 450 Nm (332 pound-feet) of torque to the driven wheels of the vehicle.
Mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids are the target groups for ZF Friedrichshafen, which managed to integrate the power electronics into the transmission’s housing for superior packaging. This particular type of design also translates to fewer high-voltage cables, enhancing safety.
Like every other torque-converter automatic, the transmission has a hydraulic control unit which utilizes hydraulic fluid. From 3.1 liters in the outgoing eight-speed automatic, the hybridized automatic requires 1.8 liters thanks to direct shifting valves. Similar in design to electromagnetic actuators, these babies serve as the successors of electric pressure actuators.
"We are pleased being nominated as global transmission supplier by FCA,” said chief executive officer Wolf-Henning Scheider. “This is our second major order for the new 8HP and it confirms our strategy to focus on plug-in hybrids as an everyday solution and to develop attractive products in these areas.”
In addition to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, BMW also signed a contract for the fourth-generation 8HP with ZF Friedrichshafen three months ago.
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