Allison Transmission has unveiled a new fully automatic 10-speed transmission for tractor units at the 2011 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky. The novel gearbox, set to debut in North America in late 2012, has been designed specifically to maximize productivity and fuel efficiency during both cruising and stop-start operation.
As the first powershifting, twin countershaft design for commercial vehicles, the transmission incorporates Allison’s torque converter technology to deliver uninterrupted power to the wheels. This functionality delivers productivity and fuel efficiency to stop-and-go portions of a route, while the 10-speed countershaft architecture offers superior fuel economy during cruising on highways. Coupled with the shifting and ease of operation benefits offered by a fully-automatic, this new technology provides OEMs and operators with a competitive and fuel efficient alternative to automated manual gearboxes.
The new transmission will also incorporate a range of intelligent features including Load Based Shift Schedules (LBSS), Reduced Engine Load at Stop (RELS) and more. Tuned to the vehicle powertrain, these features deliver an optimum blend of performance and economy specific to application, customer need and duty cycle.
The new development also draws on Allison’s extensive experience to build durable transmissions that minimize whole life costs, including the torque converter that cushions and protects the entire drivetrain, as well as service features such as prognostics that allows operators to quickly monitor oil and filter life.
At the Mid-America Truck Show, Allison demonstrated a Peterbilt tractor incorporating the new transmission for potential customers to drive and evaluate.