GM Rivals Tap ZF For Hybrid Eight Speed Automatic Transmission
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Fiat Chrysler and BMW have both signed a deal with German supplier ZF Friedrichshafen, commonly known as ZF, to receive new hybrid-ready eight-speed automatic transmissions.
According to Automotive News Europe, the Fiat Chrysler order is ZF’s second largest ever, while BMW’s is the largest. The transmissions ordered by the Italian-American company are for plug-in hybrid models with longitudinally mounted engines, meaning they could be used on cars, trucks or SUVs with rear- or all-wheel drive.
BMW’s order for the electric motor-compatible transmissions, which are an evolution of the standard ZF 8HP transmission used in vehicles like the Ram 1500 and Dodge Charger, is worth “double digit billion euros” according to ZF, but it would not say the exact amount.
Hybrids will be commonplace going forward, so it’s hardly surprising to see these large orders being placed, although it’s interesting to see a company like FCA also getting more serious with regard to electrification. As we already know, the automaker is planning numerous plug-in hybrid Jeep models, and it’s believed to have a plug-in hybrid Ram pickup in the pipeline as well. This is where the bulk of these hybrid-ready ZF transmissions will be used, it seems.
General Motors portfolio is entirely devoid of plug-in hybrid products at the moment, with the Chevrolet Volt having been disctoninued, although the automaker is working on numerous hybridized products that will be released in coming years. The automaker previously said it would launch over 20 new electrified models by 2023, so it is likely developing its own Chevrolet and Cadillac branded answers to whatever BMW and FCA are cooking up.
Source: Automotive News Europe
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So, the 9 and 10 spd were developed without electrification or hybrid use in mind. Seems like a misstep.
Ford hybrids and plug-in hybrids are based on motor attached to the 10 speed.
I can’t shake the feeling GM is falling behind in the electric race despite such supposedly high investment…
GM moved to the Full EV program as Hybrids are mostly now for companies lacking or unable to do a full proper EV program.
Note FCA and BMW are buying a transmission as neither can do them in house anymore.
GM has decided to skip the Hybrid step and go straight to EV since hybrids are not really cheap nor do a ton of people buy them. Even the Prius is not what it once was in sales.
In regards to your note about FCA. initially, FCA purchased complete transmissions from ZF for their 8sp RWD program until FCA’s transmission plant (KTP) in Kokomo, Indiana finished tooling up equipment. Once the plant was capable of producing all the components and assembling them, purchasing units from ZF was discontinued.
I would speculate that FCA will likely buy the hybrid design from ZF, then make the units in-house (in their KTP, ITP, or Tipton facility).
Also a note about the FWD 9spd program with FCA. They purchased this design from ZF, and from my understanding, FCA began producing production units before ZF did in Europe.
Anyone can build a transmission in a factory. Few companies can afford the development cost to do them in house anymore hence the existence of ZF as a thriving supplier of designs.
FCA purchases the rights and license to build these but they do little to design or develop them as they just don’t have the money for it.
We will see the same thing with some of the EV models as many automakers can not do it them selves with these systems. They will purchase license to the designs.
In the future the money will be in owning the design license much like Intel owns the rights to parts used in most computers built by others,
Transmissions are one of the most complex and expensive to develop parts of a vehicle today.
Well said Scott. I agree 100%
GM is betting 100% on full EVs, not hybrids, so investing in these transmissions would make little sense. Also, the 9 and 10 speeds are more profitable than outsourcing to ZF, which is why they continue developing in-house solutions.
Why is this article on this site? What does ZF making transmissions for BMW and FCA have to do with Ford… or Toyota… or GM? Also, the Malibu hybrid is still available.
Go back to 2008 GM had it already..
The 9HP Transmission is only made in South Carolina not Germany and we still sell both the 8 & 9 to FCA ….
Last year zf* had a competition – €100,000 for each of best EV Motor, best EV Controller, & best eAxle. Thought ‘I have won that’ (eAxle); – designed & built already; not published yet.
*lower case by intent.
Sent my entry in, reply same day; “Brilliant, Stuart, ok we will check the other entries & get back to you” Some weeks later ‘Sorry, you didn’t win ‘eAxis’ (note name change AFTER entry sent in’. So I asked ‘who won? “Freudenberg KG won ‘eAxis’ with ‘new ideas for cooling an electric motor’”
That is NOTHING TO DO with an eAxle (OR an ‘eAxis’, whatever that is)
zfs’ competition was a fake. They obtained my confidential Intellectual Property by fraud. I entered the eAxle competition with a ‘brilliant’ (THEIR DESCRIPTION) eAxle; they gave the prize to something TOTALLY UNRELATED. The Ravensburg Prosecutor General considers this kind of behaviour normal, apparently; I feel sad for my fellow inventors.
The ludicrous thing is that had zf bought or licensed it, in good faith, their profits EACH DAY BEFORE MORNING TEA would have been more than the amount they have cheated me out of.
But the IP mafia can’t help themselves. Like cyborgs – MUST – DESTROY – INVENTORS –
The other ludicrous thing is that had the competition been FOR the best cooling system for an EV motor, I would have won that too. My (first hand built prototype) CPU Cooler shifts 6W/°C, 3 TIMES the next best.
INVENTORS – DO NOT TRUST ZF!!!
ERFINDER – VERTRAUEN SIE ZF NICHT !!!
For stat dec re veracity, and pdfs of screen shots email Stuart21 (at) mac (dot) com.
BTW, you Germans have liked my inventions before. Merc, you liked my ’80s drive (also a world first; also said to be impossible), but you said that as you already had 4 different systems, management would not approve R & D on a 5th. You also liked it, Audi; but apologies, Jorg and Thomas, unfortunately I also won the Inventor of the Year Award that year, for the electronic invention. I thought I would get that into production, then use the profits to R & D the drive. Never happened, electronic thingy bankrupted me and my father, & killed him. Thanks, IP mafia.
I have been fighting depression since 1988, when my Invention of the Year Winner, (CES D & E x 2, ++) was stolen by the European Patent Office, stating “as there are no technical impediments to the implementation of your invention, it is therefore not unobvious!”
Apart from being blatantly false (ex poste facto) reasoning, what is difficult to understand is ‘where did the EPO find such neophyte examiners, oblivious to the fact that FOR A PATENT TO BE VALID, IT MUST BE WRITTEN such that THERE ARE NO TECHNICAL IMPEDIMENTS TO ITS’ IMPLEMENTATION!!!
Damages? Incalculable, starting at 8 figures.
Plus patent. Plus parent. Plus plus plus …..
Any honourable companies planning new EVs, (blank sheet is best stage) feel free to contact**. NDA required, plus references from recognised inventors.
**I would not disparage companies who deal in good faith.
No patent attorneys.
I am at my wits end. I have had this kind of treatment from the IP mafia for best part of 40 years now.
Stuart David Saunders.
Na Jomtien, 9 / 7 / 2019