E-axles are a developing electric powertrain technology that places electric motors and associated gears directly at the axle.
E-axles can replace a centralized motor/engine, freeing significant space where an engine and driveshaft would otherwise remain. That new space can accommodate extra batteries for enhanced range.
Powered axles also have a high degree of configurability. Multiple e-axles can work in tandem. Transmission and battery configurations vary widely.
See also: Understanding e-axle maintenance
Only a handful of e-axles today are designed for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Here are a few of the major e-axles around today:
Accelera eAxle Platform
Accelera by Cummins produces three e-axles for a wide range of applications: the 12Xe, 14Xe, and 17Xe. The 14Xe and 17Xe fit the most heavy-duty of applications.
The 14Xe has a continuous power range of 130 to 230 kW, a peak power of up to 290 kW, a voltage rating between 450 and 850 volts, and a GAWR of 13,600 to 26,000 lb. per axle.
The 17Xe boasts a continuous power range of up to 430 kW, a peak torque of 1,475 lb.-ft., and a GAWR of 30,000 lb. per axle.
Detroit eAxles
The Detroit ePowertrain, a 100% electric powertrain, provides two different Detroit eAxle designs: single motor or dual motor.
The single motor configuration offers a max torque of 11,500 lb.-ft. and max power of 195 hp. The dual motor configuration offers 23,000 lb.-ft. max torque and 395 hp.
The Freightliner eM2 uses the Detroit eAxle, and the Freightliner eCascadia will also use this e-axle.
Allison eGen Power
Allison’s eGen Power series of e-axles has three single-motor and two dual-motor offerings, designed to work in medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses. All of Allison’s offerings have a two-speed gearbox and a voltage range of 550 to 850 V—but differ most notably in their torque, power, and GAWR.
The single-motor configurations are the 85S, 100S, and 130S, while the dual-motor configurations are the 100D and 130D.
The 85S offers a GAWR of 18,739 lb., a max torque of 8,850 lb.-ft., a continuous power of up to 225 kW, and a peak power of 325 kW. The 100S offers a GAWR of 23,000 lb., a max torque of 19,174 lb.-ft., and similar power and voltage specs to the 85S. The 130S keeps the same torque and power as the 100S but boasts a GAWR of 28,660 lb.
The 100D, meanwhile, offers a GAWR of 23,000 lb., max torque of 34,661 lb.-ft., continuous power up to 450 kW, and peak power up to 659 kW. The 130D keeps the same torque and power specs with a boosted GAWR of 28,660 lb.
Dana Spicer Electrified
The Dana Spicer brand offers several e-axles for a variety of commercial vehicles. For heavy-duty trucks, Dana has the Zero-8 e-axle system.
The Spicer Electrified Zero-8 e-axle system has several options: two motor sizes, two final drive options, and either a single or tandem configuration. Its peak torque ranges from 20,653 lb.-ft to 95,888 lb.-ft, nominal voltage ranges from 400 to 800 V, and GCW ranges from 35,274 lb. to 154,323 lb.
ZF AxTrax 2
ZF’s latest e-axle offering is the AxTrax 2, a fully integrated electric axle that the company says is designed for all classes of commercial vehicles. The AxTrax 2 is traditionally a single motor application, delivering 210 kW of continuous power and 19,162 lb.-ft. of peak torque. ZF calls the e-axle’s dual-motor configuration the AxTrax 2 dual, delivering up to 380 kW continuous power and 40,418 lb.-ft. peak torque. Both configurations have a GAWR of up to 28,600 lb., depending on the application.
See also: ZF rolls out e-trailer system
