Cummins introduces Meritor 17Xe ePowertrain at German trade show

Cummins Inc. showed off some of the fruits of its acquisition of Meritor this summer. Cummins showcased the Meritor 17Xe ePowertrain assembled with a Cummins battery system during the IAA Transportation tradeshow in Hannover, Germany.

IAA Transportation trade show focuses on commercial vehicles and is presented in even-numbered years. Also at the show, Volvo presented a new fully electric axle for extended range that the company expects to put into production in coming years.

Cummins reported in August it had completed its acquisition of axle and brake specialist Meritor. Meritor’s electric-powered axles were a key consideration in the acquisition. Meritor brought with it 100 years of experience in drivetrain, mobility, braking, aftermarket and electric powertrain solutions.

The 17Xe is designed for heavy-duty trucks in the 4×2 and 6×2 segment, with capacity to support 44 tons of gross combined weight, or more in some applications, according to a news release. The assembly also features a lithium iron phosphate battery pack, a new addition to Cummins’ battery lineup.

Cummins is integrating Meritor’s ePowertrain with battery and fuel cell electric drivetrains to meet the growing demand for decarbonized solutions. Cummins’ suite of clean drivetrain options offers performance and packaging advantages to suit diverse applications across the globe, with significant benefits to heavy- and medium-duty truck and bus work cycles and ranges.

In addition to the ePowertrain, Meritor’s Power Control and Accessory System will be on the show floor, according to a news release. The system is the “brains” of the electric powertrain and controls speed, acceleration, braking and thermal management. Through software controls it can be configured to maximize performance and overall system efficiency. Its integrated system design also reduces packaging size and integration complexity.

“We are moving faster together and are eager to talk about solutions at IAA that will move us all closer to decarbonizing our industry,” Amy Davis, vice president and president of new power at Cummins, said in a news release.

Cummins Inc. is based in Columbus, Ind.

Volvo’s more compact e-axle

at the IAA Transportation tradeshow, according to a news release. Freeing up space for more batteries, the new e-axle means even longer range for Volvo’s battery electric trucks.

The new e-axle is expected to make room for more batteries on the truck by integrating the electric motors and the transmission into the rear axle. More batteries should extend range, which creates opportunities for long distance transports to also be electrified.

Volvo expects to introduce fuel cell electric trucks in the second half of this decade.

Volvo Trucks has with six models of electric-powered trucks in serial production. Depending on the model, the range is up to 440 km (273 miles) in one charge.

“In a few years, we will add this new rear e-axle for customers covering longer routes than today” Jessica Sandström, senior vice president of global product management at Volvo Trucks, said in a news release.

In early 2022, Volvo announced longer range for its VNR Electric Class 8 truck and reduced the time for charging the battery.

Volvo is based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Trucks North America is headquartered in Greensboro, N.C. LL