Dana Launches Electrified e-Hub Drive

December 7, 2018 - Dana Incorporated has introduced a fully integrated electro-mechanical drive system for heavy-duty construction and mining applications that leverages Dana’s portfolio of vehicle electrification technologies.

Although Dana unveiled its new Spicer Electrified with TM4 eSH81 e-Hub Drive at the recent Bauma China trade show in Shanghai, China, the company says the product is available in North America and can be used in rubber-tired gantry cranes, also called straddle carriers.  

Designed for underground mining trucks, large wheel loaders, and reach stackers, this e-Hub drive integrates proven heavy-duty Spicer axle expertise, Brevini planetary drive designs, TM4 electric motor technology, and Dana’s advanced control knowledge into a single package that delivers efficiency, reliability, and performance. 

Currently in pre-production field testing with vehicle manufacturers, the e-Hub drive is scheduled to be ready for production by the end of next year. 

 

“The ultimate measure of hybrid and electric technologies is their ability to meet the rigorous performance expectations of off-highway vehicles at the work site,” said Christophe Dominiak, chief technology officer for Dana.  “This e-Hub drive illustrates how rapidly and effectively Dana has capitalized on our strategy to produce hybrid and electric propulsion solutions that perform in the harshest work environments anywhere in the world.” 

Global Innovations, Local Market Expertise
As Dana’s global center of excellence for designing axles used in mining and other heavy-duty applications, the Dana China Technical Center in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, is ideally suited to lead the development of the e-Hub drive.  The facility also leads development of heavy-duty Spicer planetary steering axles for rough-terrain cranes with lift capacities ranging from 30 to 110 tonnes (33 to 120 tons). 

Dana’s engineering resources in the U.S., Italy, and Canada participated in the co-development of the Spicer Electrified eSH81 e-Hub Drive. 

“With 23 worldwide technology centers strategically located near our customers, Dana has a distinct advantage in the development of propulsion systems for heavy-duty vehicles,” said Aziz Aghili, executive vice president of Dana and president of Off-Highway Drive and Motion Technologies.  “By combining our unmatched range of technologies with our regional expertise, Dana can precisely channel our engineering efforts toward highly tailored solutions on a market-by-market basis.”

 

Dana’s Comprehensive Capabilities for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
Dana has emphasized engineering and development for hybridization and electrification as part of the company’s enterprise strategy, which focuses on leveraging the company’s decades of electric engineering expertise and product knowledge to offer an extensive portfolio of advanced hybrid and electric technologies that have been engineered for multiple vehicle markets.   

Ranging from complete systems and modular solutions to individual sub-system components, Dana is able to support its customers in developing series and parallel hybrid configurations up to full battery-electric vehicles.  Dana’s electrified product offerings are able to meet the diverse architecture and platform requirements of its broad customer base by delivering enhanced performance, packaging optimization, and reduced system weight. 

Dana has made a series of strategic moves to support electrification and hybridization, including the acquisition of the power-transmission and fluid power businesses of Brevini; a majority ownership of TM4 Inc, a motor and inverter manufacturer; and an agreement to purchase the Drive Systems segment of the Oerlikon Group.   

Combined with the company’s core expertise in driveline technologies, sealing systems, and thermal management, these initiatives position Dana as the leading supplier of electrification solutions for the off-highway segment. 

With the recent acquisition of TM4, Dana’s electrification capabilities now include in-house design and manufacturing for electric motors, power inverters, and control systems.   

Dana also offers a wide selection of Brevini motion products to support the unique power distribution requirements of hybrid and electric off-highway vehicles.  The products include gear pumps, hydraulic power units, valves and controls, hydraulic axial piston motors and pumps, orbital motors, control hardware and software, advanced sensor technologies, and operator-information displays. 

Beyond the e-Hub drive, Dana is currently leveraging a wide portfolio of technologies for off-highway customers to offer dozens of successful electrified driveline applications now in production and pre-production testing.

 

 




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