ZF Commercial Vehicles Solutions (CVS) has been recognized for its commitment to environmental sustainability, after winning two key industry awards at the Springer Nature Group & Arthur D. Little Sustainability Award in Automotive 2024. ZF’s next generation electric central drive, CeTrax 2 dual received recognition for its ingenuity in enabling electric mobility for commercial vehicles, while the ZF Bielefeld plant in Germany was awarded for innovative remanufacturing practices. The Sustainability Award in Automotive, which is jointly organized by the publishing house of Springer Nature Group and sustainability and industry experts from the international consultancy Arthur D. Little, recognizes outstanding examples of sustainable contributions in mobility.
“The awards underline our firm commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Winfried Gründler, Senior Vice President for Driveline Technology at ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions division. “By integrating innovative sustainable practices into our industrial processes, whether in the remanufacturing of used components, or the development of new e-mobility solutions, we show how environmental responsibility combined with technological innovation can make substantial contributions towards resource conservation and energy efficiency.”
ZF Bielefeld Plant: “Cradle-to-Cradle” Remanufacturing
The Bielefeld plant specializes in the remanufacturing of powertrain modules for vehicle manufacturers and the global aftermarket in accordance with ‘cradle-to-cradle’ standards. The plant reconditions used transmission clutches or torque converters, enabling them to be re-installed in vehicles. On average, clutches are replaced every two to three years, but ZF’s Bielefeld reconditioning processes saves up to 90% of parts and energy, helping to conserve resources while reducing energy requirements and CO2 emissions in the production process.
CeTrax 2 dual Electric Drive: Advancing Zero Emissions Mobility
The CeTrax 2 dual is ZF’s heavy-duty variant of its next-generation central electric drive series. It is designed to fit within the space where the transmission would be located in a conventional designed vehicle, enabling manufacturers to offer both ICE and electric drivetrains in a single vehicle platform.
Featuring two integrated 800 Volt silicon carbide (SiC) inverters, the CeTrax 2 dual is capable of delivering 380 kW continuous power and 24,700 Nm of peak output torque for vehicles up to 44 tons. Its 3-speed transmission with two e-actuators not only optimizes efficiency but delivers smooth acceleration and quiet zero emissions operation.