ZF’s AVE 130 electrically driven city bus axle bags global award

ZF’s groundbreaking AVE 130 electric portal axle has bagged the top prize in the ‘International busplaner Sustainability Prize 2015’ components category, which sees an independent jury of experts assess bus innovations which combine economic success with social responsibility and environmental friendliness.

The AVE 130 electric portal axle swayed the jury with its efficiency, flexible usage options, and unrestricted everyday practicality. The prize, which was initiated by trade magazine busplaner, was presented during the ceremony held in Munich on November 20, 2014.

"We are absolutely delighted about winning the 'International busplaner Sustainability Prize 2015' in the 'Components' category – particularly since the main criterion for this competition was also a decisive criterion in the development of our AVE 130 electric portal axle," said Andreas Moser, Head of the Axle and Transmission Systems for Buses & Coaches business unit at ZF Friedrichshafen AG. "Thus the AVE 130 now provides urban public transport with the potential to improve sustainability in many regards."

The company says the innovation paves the way for lane-independent low-floor city buses, which are powered either very efficiently with various hybrid configurations or even entirely electrically – and hence locally zero-emission. This is thanks to two 120 kW electric motors integrated directly in the axle. The latest AVE 130 also boasts new gearing geometry and even quieter running.

Over the past few years, the AVE 130 has managed to demonstrate repeatedly its unrestricted everyday practicality: In various field trials, more than 300 ZF electric portal axles have already clocked up over 10 million kilometres. Including in articulated buses manufactured by EvoBus, the AVE 130 is being used in serial hybrid operation, i.e. in conjunction with a downsizing diesel generator. Thanks to the optimum design of the overall system, it can thus provide fuel savings of up to 30 percent compared with conventional diesel drives.

At present, a large number of customer projects are involved in trials or are about to be implemented worldwide – for instance in China with the manufacturer Foton and in Turkey with Bozankaya. Here the AVE 130 is being used in battery-electric buses and can leverage all the benefits of electromobility. The AVE 130 is not only an innovation in public transport in terms of energy efficiency. Other advantages arise in relation to vehicle design because the AVE 130 is installation-compatible with ZF's well-known AV 132 and AVN 132 portal axles and its electric motors are directly located in the hub units of the axle. As the conventional drive and propshaft in the rear are no longer needed, the installation space for seats and standing room can be expanded, the passenger area has a completely level aisle, and the low-floor technology provides for a stepless as well as comfortable entry and exit.

 The ZF AVE 130 electric portal axle in its latest development version.