Transmissions manufacturer Allison has agreed to provide automatic transmissions for EMOSS Mobile Systems’s electric semi-truck, the Electric Vehicle with Extender Range (EVER). With a 120kWh battery pack and a liquefied petroleum gas electricity generator to recharge the battery, the EVER promises a range exceeding 480km.
“For us, the Allison gearbox is the only combination that gets us the right performance,” said Martijn Noordam, chief technology officer at EMOSS.
“Customers who have driven the Allison-equipped EMOSS trucks are 100% happy with them. They never thought a start-stop duty-cycle on a 30% grade was realistic, yet the truck has executed that perfectly.”
Calibrated to use six forward gears when fully-laden, the Allison transmission enables heavier hauling payloads and the ability to navigate challenging topographies.
“Allison remains committed to the evolution and optimization of the drivetrain and all forms of commercial vehicle propulsion,” said Randy Kirk, senior vice president of product engineering at Allison.
“The Allison automatic provides a proven, immediate and well-integrated solution that enables electrification across a broad range of commercial applications.”
The transmission provides torque multiplication to reduce demand on the electric motor and the battery pack. It also allows the electric motor to operate within the optimal efficiency range for a larger portion of the drive cycle, reducing energy consumption, extending the vehicle’s range and facilitating the use of less-expensive, lighter and smaller components.
EMOSS plans to commence testing with pilot customers later this year. In addition to the EVER truck, EMOSS is currently developing Allison transmission-equipped electric trucks for use in construction, delivery and refuse applications. These applications include dump trucks, medium-duty straight trucks, refuse collection vehicles and additional semi-truck configurations.
