Available now, the 3000 xFE and 3200 xFE models are designed for engines producing up to 365bhp and 1,695Nm (dependent on the application), and gross vehicle weight up to 28.5 tons.
Compared to the standard 3000 and 3200 Series transmissions, the new 3000 xFE and 3200 xFE can reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by up to 3.7%. The greatest gains are made at speeds below 20mph, depending on axle ratio, and above 45mph.
Gradeability, the fully-loaded vehicle’s ability to climb an incline at a steady speed without needing to downshift and work the engine harder, also improves under 30mph. These characteristics are said to make the new transmissions particularly well-suited to slow-speed urban applications and stop-start duty cycles such as refuse collection.
xFE primarily increases fuel efficiency by locking up at lower speeds, enabling the engine to spend more time in higher ranges and at lower revolutions per minute (rpm). In addition to reducing fuel consumption and emissions, this also reduces the powerpack’s heat rejection, further improving performance. The new 3000 xFE and 3200 xFE take this successful strategy further by locking up in first gear rather than second, and by making the final overdrives deeper, improving the spread of gear ratios from 5.37 to 5.91. These changes have been made without any need to alter the external form, fitting, servicing schedule, or weight of the 3000 Series.
Both the 3000 xFE and 3200 xFE models are offered with or without a retarder, and both are equipped with Allison’s FuelSense® 2.0 package of smart controls to precisely balance fuel economy and performance. FuelSense 2.0 features the following:
- Neutral at stop to reduce or eliminate the load on the engine when the vehicle is stopped.
- Acceleration rate management to mitigate aggressive driving by automatically controlling engine torque.
- DynActive Shifting algorithm to initiate subtle alterations in gear shift points according to factors such as vehicle weight, road gradient, stop-start frequency, and throttle use.
"Truck fleet operators everywhere are under legislative pressure to reduce emissions, and of course all fleets would like to reduce their fuel costs. These new xFE transmissions could be a critical tool in helping OEMs and fleets make a 15% CO2 emission reduction by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030, as required by EU CO2 emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. Doing much more with today’s efficient diesel technology is an affordable and environmentally-responsible stepping stone on the path towards electrification and other non-fossil fuel propulsion systems for which we also have suitable propulsion solutions,” said Sjoerd Vos, Allison Transmission director of EMEA marketing.