Eaton to launch heavy-duty EV transmission

Power management giant Eaton is launching a new four-speed transmission specially designed for heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles.

The new transmission is being tested with major OEMs and is set to hit the market in 2022. A further announcement will be made at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show (NACV) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from October 28-31.

The transmission is the latest addition to Eaton’s eMobility portfolio of electrified vehicle (EV) transmissions and other equipment which also includes medium-duty two and four-speed models that are currently in production with several OEMs.

“Electric buses and trucks need to be able to go up hills and run at highway speeds when they are fully loaded,” Eaton eMobility senior vice president Scott Adams says.

“Our solution is to expand the range of the motor by adding an EV transmission. With this addition, the vehicle can perform well on hills and efficiently at highway speeds with a smaller, less costly motor.”

The heavy-duty EV transmission is designed to provide high efficiency at top speeds and increased torque at launch and low speeds.

Fine-pitch helical gears ensure a smooth, low-noise operation, while the Eaton transmission control unit’s shifting strategy is designed for fast gear changes and maximum efficiency, which extends range and battery life.

Eaton’s four-speed EV gearbox does not have a clutch, and shifts are synchronised using the traction motor.

It also operates at higher speeds than traditional internal combustion gearbox counterparts, and gears are optimised for typical electric motor performance and power curves.

By providing higher output speed capability and torque range than a direct-drive system, the transmission enables the usage of a smaller, lighter electric motor for large commercial vehicles.

Eaton posted 2018 sales of $21.6 billion. The company provides energy solutions for electrical, hydraulic and mechanical systems. Eaton has around 100,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 175 countries.