ZF to Supply FCA With Glut of Hybrid-ready Transmissions
ZF Friedrichshafen has agreed to supply Fiat Chrysler with its second-largest order to date. While top honors belong to BMW, FCA will be using the same eight-speed automatic transmissions sourced for the Bavarian-based applications. “Optimized for electrification” as per ZF’s press announcement, the gearboxes are designed for longitudinally mounted engines — including those utilizing hybrid systems.
The updated 8HP transmissions work for rear and all-wheel drive vehicles and will assuredly been seen on both within FCA’s lineup. While we don’t yet know how many of those will be hybrid-ready, ZF told Automotive News that a sizable number with integrated electric drives have been earmarked for automaker.
From Automotive News:
ZF executives would not be precise about the size of the agreement, saying only that it was “not too far away” from the value of the BMW order, which had a value of “double digit billion euros” over the contract’s lifespan.
“This is our second major order for the 8HP,” ZF CEO Wolf-Henning Scheider said in a statement, using the company’s internal code for the transmission,” and it confirms our strategy to focus on plug-in hybrids.”
ZF said the order would include a “significant share” of hybrid transmissions. ZF is hoping that strong demand for hybrids, especially plug-in versions, will help it navigate the transition from internal combustion engines to full electrification.
Lead production for the new transmission will at be ZF’s plant in Saarbruecken, Germany. It claimed series production should begin in 2022, adding that it aims to expand assembly for additional locations within the the United States and China later on.
[Image: ZF Friedrichshafen AG]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Finally time to address the growing emissions problem. Personally, I like the idea of a plug-in Grand Cherokee with Hemi power.
I have never been a fan of the ZF8 based hybrid system- seems to me like forcing regen through gears forces a tradeoff between smoothness and efficiency- but compared to Lexus' more logical system I guess it's better than nothing. Hopefully FCA starts moving its big RWD barges to newer, lighter platforms like the Giorgio to further help CAFE fleet scores.