Dana showed off its newest direct-drive electric powertrain and revealed new collaborations with Nordresa and Motiv Power Systems during the annual Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Long Beach CA.
The company’s TM4 SUMO LD electric powertrain features a motor-inverter combination designed for Class 2 through Class 6 vehicles, Dana said. The offering extends the TM4 SUMO lineup, which it says is powering more than 12,000 electrified vehicles.
Designed primarily for today’s direct-drive architectures, the TM4 SUMO LD also provides a modular solution for future transitions to widespread e-Axle platforms. When integrated with one of Dana’s electrified axle solutions, the TM4 SUMO LD can be configured for light-commercial, minibus and medium-duty truck and bus, as well as heavy-duty Class 8 hybrid vehicles, the company claimed.
“The TM4 SUMO direct-drive electric powertrain offering is a globally adopted, road-proven, highly efficient solution utilized in thousands of electrified vehicles, which is a key differentiator setting us apart from other electrodynamic solutions,” said Christophe Dominiak, chief technology officer for Dana.
“The SUMO LD series has been engineered into multiple Spicer Electrified products and is able to be adapted to the architecture requirements of our customers, from direct-drive solutions to fully integrated e-Axle designs.”
With three available models, the TM4 SUMO LD offers up to 250 kilowatts of continuous power and 1,200 newton meters of torque. Its new winding technology, combined with an internal permanent magnet (IPM) rotor design, yields a 10% decrease in magnets and creates a more lightweight and compact solution to fit smaller vehicle envelopes, Dana said.
The SUMO LD is matched with the three-phase CO150 inverter, which already is used in “thousands” of vehicles worldwide.
Dana, Nordresa electrify Isuzu chassis
Dana said it is partnering with Nordresa to integrate its Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle on the Isuzu N-Series chassis for commercial fleet applications.
This new collaboration is in addition to the companies’ existing joint efforts to offer commercially available direct-drive systems, complete with TM4 motors and inverters, on battery electric medium-duty vehicle platforms.
The progression to fully integrated e-Axles allows the traditional mechanical driveline system to be replaced with an electric motor integrated directly into the vehicle’s differential housing, improving design flexibility for battery placement and truck body positioning, the company maintained.
Nordresa’s proprietary electric powertrain controls will be a key feature of the new chassis.
“As electrification continues to expand in the commercial-vehicle segment, Dana is focused on cultivating its product offerings to deliver immediate, tangible benefits to our customers,” said Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies. “Collaborating with a leading integrator like Nordresa further supports our customers with complementary technologies that are ideal solutions for the medium-duty and bus markets.”
The Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle consists of an integrated motor, transmission and axle system. It is designed as a “drop-in” replacement for existing axles used in medium-duty truck and bus applications. The e-Axle also incorporates an integrated parking mechanism (park pawl) that eliminates the need for an external solution on vehicles without a transmission, Dana said.
Developed jointly, the electric Isuzu N-Series chassis can be used for box trucks, maintenance trucks and more. It is designed for a range up to 110 miles and peak power of 226 kilowatts for grade startability of 20%.
“We continue to make progress in the development and integration of electrified drivetrains across a diverse set of applications and customers,” said Sylvain Castonguay, president and CEO of Nordresa. “We are pleased to be partnering with Dana, a leader in electrification, to extend those solutions even further as demand continues to grow.”
Dana, Motiv electrify Ford chassis
Dana Incorporated also is collaborating with Motiv Power Systems to integrate Dana’s Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle on the Ford F-550 chassis for use in commercial fleet applications.
By replacing the traditional mechanical driveline with an electric motor integrated directly into the vehicle’s differential housing, the e-Axle provides greater design flexibility for battery placement and truck body attachment, Dana said. In addition to Dana’s e-Axle technology, the chassis features Motiv’s proprietary electric powertrain controls.
“Dana sees tremendous demand in the commercial vehicle space for full electrification, and the Ford F-550 chassis represents an ideal application for integrating our innovative e-Axle technology,” Wallace said. “Collaborating with pioneers like Motiv to offer integrated e-solutions enables commercial fleet owners to capitalize on the benefits of electrified vehicles.”
Added Matt O’Leary, CEO of Motiv: “We’re proud of our role in this initial Ford F-550 application. It represents a combination of two complementary technologies in bringing electrification to commercial fleets.
“We share a common vision with Dana of expanding the market profile of battery electric vehicles in commercial transportation and welcome the opportunity to collaborate with them to advance this goal.”
