ZF Friedrichshafen AG — a global technology company that supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology — has won further orders for its zero-emission drive technologies.
The London bus operator Tower Transit has ordered 37 Metrodecker EVs from British bus manufacturer Optare; these vehicles will feature the proven ZF electric portal axle, AxTrax AVE.
Moreover, Optare expects that about 100 electric double-deck buses will be on the roads of British city centres by the end of the year (globally, more than 2,200 electric buses equipped with the AxTrax AVE have already covered 150 million km).
Tower Transit is now the second bus operator in London to choose the AxTrax AVE; operator Metroline has been running 31 Metrodecker EVs since last summer. Andreas Moser, Head of ZF’s commercial-vehicle technology division, said: “Central London has one of the world’s strictest regimes for regulating emissions. The AxTrax AVE allows our customer — Optare — to meet the most demanding standards for clean and attractive local public transportation.”
This electric axle can be combined with numerous drive configurations, ranging from hybrid and fuel-cell drive systems to battery-electric solutions. The low-profile design also gives manufacturers a great deal of latitude in the design of the passenger area, enabling layouts such as full low-floor buses.
In 2019, ZF achieved sales of 36.5 billion euros. The company has a global workforce of 148,000, with about 240 locations in 41 countries. ZF invests 7% of its sales revenues in R&D.