ZF showcases electronics and lightweight construction at NAIAS

Technology company ZF has showcased its range of products and expertise for one of its most important market regions at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS): With figures of $4.9 billion in 2014, the company generated almost one fifth of the forecasted company sales amounting to more than $24 billion in North America. The planned acquisition of TRW Automotive and the upcoming integration of the company are key topics for 2015.

In 2014, ZF sales in North America have risen by about one fifth compared to the previous year (approximately $4.9 billion). This places North America second to Europe in the list of ZF sales according to market regions. "The North American market is extremely important to us and shows a stable growth trend," stated Dr Stefan Sommer, CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, at the NAIAS. The primary reason is the high demand for energy-efficient automatic passenger car transmissions such as the 8-speed automatic transmission. This transmission, of which a total of about 2.6 million units were produced in 2014, is manufactured for the North American market, inter alia, at ZF's US location Gray Court in South Carolina. In the US, ZF achieved a sales figure of around $4.5 billion in 2014 (2013: $3.8 billion).

According to Sommer North America will continue to be a key growth factor in the next few years: “The planned acquisition of TRW Automotive will offer the enlarged company entirely new perspectives on the US market.” Thanks to the transaction, the share of the US in the overall Group sales will prospectively be more than doubled.

At the NAIAS in Detroit, ZF is showcasing its broad technology portfolio including the second generation of the 8HP. The new generation offers comprehensive further developments ranging from lower drag torques and higher spread to an improved torsional vibration absorption. Compared to the already highly energy-efficient first generation of the 8HP, this innovation achieves an additional three percent of fuel savings.

Thanks to a flexible modular construction system, ZF's 8HP is equipped to meet all requirements: This model range covers the broad torque range between 300 and 1,000 newton metres. The basic transmission can be modified depending on vehicle needs and the intended application: The result is one complete transmission generation with different variants - from plug-in-hybrid transmissions to four-wheel drive. Major US manufacturers, such as Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge, are already using ZF's 8HP in their production vehicle models.

In Detroit, ZF is also providing insights into the trendsetting range of expertise of the technology company. Using an innovation prototype, ZF demonstrates the potential of the combination of e-mobility and lightweight construction. In the ZF subcompact car test, lightweight construction chassis components supplement the electric final drive. Thanks to its high-speed concept and integrated power electronics, the electric drive combines high performance with high efficiency, low weight, compact dimensions, and quiet operation. In practice, this increases the range – and the 90 kW electric drive also develops high performance and driving dynamics.