Dana has introduced two new electric drivetrain solutions for off-highway vehicles, including the Spicer® Electrified™ e-Axle and e-Gearbox.

These technologies enable electrified propulsion within established vehicle architectures by leveraging the company’s portfolio of motors, inverters, and controls, Dana said.

“Dana, through numerous organic and inorganic initiatives, has filled out its product portfolio to support the needs of its customers,” the company said. “The company will debut its electrified drivetrain solutions in April at Bauma alongside e-Propulsion technologies from the SME Group, which the company acquired earlier this month. These electrodynamic solutions support customers’ needs for efficiency, manoeuvrability, safety, and overall performance.”

Aziz Aghili, President of Dana Off-Highway Drive and Motion Technologies, said: “Vehicle manufacturers in mining, construction, and other off-highway markets are efficiently transitioning toward electrification, while retaining a large portion of their products in traditional technologies.

“Dana has positioned the company to be energy-source agnostic to support our customers across drivetrain configurations, including electrodynamic components that accelerate the adoption of electrification through the introduction of technologies specifically selected to meet the needs of current vehicle architectures.”

The Spicer Electrified e-Axle combines Dana’s heavy-axle design with a high-efficiency TM4 SUMO™ HP motor/generator and inverter combination for medium-sized mining trucks, medium-sized load haul dumpers, and large lift trucks.

Supplying 139 kW of continuous power and 193 kW at peak power, the TM4 motor/generator and inverter are joined at the centre housing of the axle to provide needed torque and efficiency within the space typically allotted for an internal-combustion engine and transmission.

The Spicer Electrified e-Gearbox features a compact design that manages high input speeds and accommodates the installation of an electric motor. “It offers a highly engineered interface for connecting cost-effective motors used in electrification with conventional Spicer hydrostatic transmissions,” Dana said.

Its plug-and-play design combines Dana-supplied TM4 and SME electric motors with Spicer hydrostatic transmissions for small- and medium-sized wheel loaders up to 10 ts and telehandlers with lift capacities up to 6.8 t.

The e-Gearbox will be available for customer testing in the second half of 2019.

Dana said: “The electrified propulsion technologies shown by Dana at Bauma (stand A3 325) will reflect the series of strategic moves made by the company to support electrification and hybridisation in the off-highway market over the past two years, including:

• “The acquisition of the power-transmission and fluid power businesses of Brevini;
• “The acquisition of a majority stake in TM4, a manufacturer of high-voltage electric motors, power inverters, and control systems;
• “An agreement to purchase the Drive Systems segment of the Oerlikon Group, and;
• “The acquisition of the SME Group, a designer and manufacturer of low-voltage motors and inverters.”

Combined with the company’s expertise in driveline technologies, sealing systems, and thermal management, these initiatives position Dana as the leading supplier of electrification solutions for the off-highway segment, the company said.