ZF equipping Ford Trucks with electric drives
ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions (CVS) division has secured a long-term supplier agreement with Ford Trucks for e-mobility technologies. The agreement will see Ford’s only heavy commercial vehicle brand, Ford Trucks, equip its upcoming lines of electrified heavy trucks with ZF’s latest state-of-the-art zero emissions technologies.
“With Ford Trucks, we have gained a major international customer for our new e-mobility drive platform. This underlines our leading position in Europe for electric commercial drives,” said Prof. Dr. Peter Laier, of the Commercial Vehicle Solutions division. “Ford Trucks’ trust in us shows that we can offer market-leading solutions for e-mobility to support our customers in their transformation towards sustainable transportation solutions.”
ZF will first supply the CeTrax 2 dual electric central drive for Ford Trucks’ heavy duty Electric Rigid Truck, which made its world premiere at the IAA Transportation 2024. Under the agreement, ZF will also supply further electric drive variants as upcoming models enter production.
The compact and modular design of ZF’s CeTrax 2 series enables the drives to fit within the same mounting space as a conventional ICE transmission. This gives manufacturers the flexibility to install either a combustion drivetrain or a CeTrax 2 electric central drive on the same production line, depending on the customer’s configuration.
This flexibility enables manufacturers to manage the transition towards e-mobility production effectively, especially during the initial ramp up phase when volumes are relatively small compared to traditional ICE lines.
As part of the agreement, ZF will also equip Ford Trucks’ Electric Rigid Truck with its Electrically Powered Hydraulic Steering Pump (EPHS). Equipped with an e-motor, this steering device is designed to provide on-demand hydraulic flow enabling the efficient operation of the commercial vehicle’s hydraulic steering system independent of the vehicle’s drivetrain.
Emrah Duman, Ford Trucks vice president, said: “Ford Trucks has always been at the forefront of innovation in the heavy commercial vehicle industry, and this new agreement with ZF further solidifies its mission to lead the shift towards sustainable transport.”
ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions (CVS) division will be exhibiting at CV Workshop EXPO 2024, which takes place alongside the Auto Trade EXPO at the RDS in Dublin from 12th-13th October.