ZF’s CeTrax lite electric CV drive: one thousand units produced in less than one year
CeTrax lite is an all-electric drive with a peak output of 150 kW that sits centrally in the vehicle frame, the space normally occupied by the conventional transmission in ICE vehicles. The ramp-up in volume production was steeper than planned because demand from the customer ISUZU increased.
ZF started to produce its innovative CeTrax lite drive units for electric commercial vehicles in April 2023. Less then one year later, the company managed to produce one thousand units, due to increased demand shortly after the start of series production. More into details, the ramp-up in volume production was steeper than planned because demand from the customer ISUZU increased. In fact, the drive is used by ISUZU to power the latest generation its light distributor truck, the ISUZU ELF EV. Further volume production is set to start imminently this year.
The electric central drive for light commercial vehicles continues the success story of its “big brother” CeTrax, which went into volume production in 2020. The central drive, which is also produced at the ZF Friedrichshafen location, is mainly used in buses with orders from customers in South Korea, the USA, Australia, and Europe. In addition, the new CeTrax 2 dual electric central drive will be manufactured from Friedrichshafen from this years on.
ZF CeTrax lite: the strong points of a well-known drive concept
A special feature of ZF’s CeTrax concept is that the all-electric central drive is suitable for electrifying existing commercial vehicle platforms. Such concept is particularly attractive for manufacturers of city buses, as well as for special vehicles operating in ports and logistics centers. Electrification with CeTrax lite offers just as much potential for small delivery trucks, city buses or special vehicles, which are mainly used for the “last mile” deliveries.
CeTrax lite is an all-electric drive with a peak output of 150 kW that sits centrally in the vehicle frame, the space normally occupied by the conventional transmission in ICE vehicles. “We are proud to have met the needs and requirements of the market with our CeTrax lite. CeTrax lite is on its way to becoming a successful global product and is accelerating purely electric and locally emission-free delivery traffic,” commented Kleber Vinhas, Location Manager of the ZF Friedrichshafen plant. “At the same time, we are investing and preparing further volume production launches for customers with the CeTrax 2 dual, the next electric central drive from Friedrichshafen for heavy commercial vehicles, set to start production.”
