8 May 2008

ZF has opened a production site for hybrid drives at its ZF Sachs Schweinfurt factory in Germany that it claims is the first on an industrial scale in Europe. The group is investing €58 million in hybrid technology this year.

 

Volume production will start from the fourth quarter of 2008 and the first customer will be Mercedes for S-Class vehicles. ZF said it was in eight volume production programmes with four different manufacturers for launch between 2008 and 2012.

 

The initial annual production is to be 35,000 units but there is room to expand to 200,000 a year, ZF said.

 

Launched under the name DynaStart, the electric motors have been developed specifically for integration into the driveline for parallel hybrid drives. ZF says the concept enables 30 per cent fuel savings and emission reductions, depending on whether it is used as a mild or a full hybrid.

 

The motor is used for start/stop when traffic is stationary and for regenerative braking. It also boosts the combustion engine power during acceleration. Outputs from 10 to 100 kW with maximum torque of 100 to 1000 Nm are to be made.

 

The electric motors are to be installed on the crankshaft in pairs and have been adapted to be robust enough for use in diesel and gasoline engines, ZF said.

 

Hans-Georg Härter, ZF's chief executive officer, said: "We are convinced that hybrid technology will gain ground in the years to come because it not only protects the environment but also pays off for the motorist."