Improvement in fuel effi ciency & turnaround time aimed
Ashok Leyland has taken the first step in introducing the revolutionary twin speed rear axles on its haulage trucks. The new technology promises enhanced fuel efficiency of up to 10 per cent. The trucks have been under trial for a while and the customer response has been very positive, says Mr. Rajive Saharia, Executive Director – Sales and Marketing, Ashok Leyland Ltd. This could very well usher in the next wave technology similar to the change that happened from single-axle to multi-axle trucks.
Normally, city driving and highways need different torque and gear ratios. This significantly influences fuel efficiency. Identifying this requirement, the twin-speed rear axle technology has been developed by Meritor through its Indian partner Automotive Axles, one of the key vendors of Ashok Leyland. Ideal for an open highway condition, the technology allows the driver to shift to the fuel-economy mode while cruising, just by pressing the ‘Twin-Speed’ button.
It almost sounds like a sophisticated technology on passenger cars, but it is true that the whole technology has been made so driver friendly just at the press of a button on the front panel. By pressing the button, the gear ratios change resulting in improved drivability, better fuel efficiency, reduced noise level and faster turnaround time.
In addition to the conventional drive system that goes into the rear axle, this has planetary gear system which is operated through an electronic control which is on the driver control panel. By a simple flick of the switch he can actually change the gear ratios.
Ashok Leyland is initially offering this technology on its 25 and 31 tonne haulage trucks in both 6×2 and 8×2 configurations as today 70 per cent of the trucks are in the haulage segment moving mostly on the main highways.
Mr. Saharia said: “It is our constant endeavor to seek ways to improve our customers’ profitability, and what better way than to reduce their burden on fuel cost. After all, fuel cost is the highest component in the cost of operating a vehicle. We are confident that our customers will find in this new technology an excellent value proposition.”
The Twin-Speed technology will be on offer on some of the company’s flagship models in the multi-axle range like the 2516IL, 2516XL, 3116IL and 3118IL, which are best suited for applications like market load, cement, tankers and general cargo and are already top performers in their class. These vehicles, equipped with twin-speed axles, will be launched across the country in a phased manner. The package of such technology improvements will be extended to 4×2 haulage and buses as well.