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Technology company ZF is actively shaping the future of mobility, showcasing its comprehensive portfolio of leading drive technologies for current and future vehicles. At its recent eMobility Tech Day, held in anticipation of the IAA Mobility 2025 trade fair, ZF detailed its strategies for addressing a dynamic global market characterized by increasing electrification and diverse technological demands. The company emphasizes its ability to provide a broad spectrum of solutions, from all-electric drives to hybrid systems and advanced thermal management.
Key Highlights:
- ZF’s SELECT e-drive platform offers flexible, scalable, and modular solutions for electric drives across all vehicle classes.
- The innovative TherMaS thermal management system aims to significantly increase electric vehicle range, particularly in challenging weather conditions.
- ZF continues to develop classic transmissions, hybrid drives, and range extenders to complement its all-electric offerings.
- The EVselect concept vehicle serves as a practical demonstrator for ZF’s latest e-mobility innovations.
- The company is responding to a globally growing, yet technically differentiating, e-mobility market that demands shorter development times and cost-effective solutions.
The foundation of ZF’s expansive product range is the SELECT e-drive platform. This system enables a wide array of solutions by integrating essential components such as electric motors, inverters, converters, reduction gears, and software. This modular approach allows ZF to cater to diverse customer needs and accelerate innovation cycles. “With the SELECT platform, we are optimally prepared for the complex market requirements of e-mobility,” stated Mathias Miedreich, member of the ZF Board of Management. He further emphasized ZF’s commitment to offering “a technologically leading, broad and tailor-made product range,” including solutions for highly efficient combustion engines and the entire spectrum of electrified drives.
A groundbreaking development presented is the TherMaS thermal management system, specifically engineered for electric vehicles. This system, which can utilize propane as a refrigerant for improved thermal performance and a compact design, has been shown to increase electric range by up to 10% in demanding winter operations and potentially up to 30% under extreme conditions. This is achieved through economical air conditioning and efficient use of drivetrain waste heat.
Recognizing that hybrid drive solutions remain crucial in various global markets, ZF is also advancing its portfolio in this area. This includes a new concept for its successful 8-speed automatic transmission (8HP evo), designed for enhanced efficiency and flexibility across different hybrid platforms. Additionally, ZF is developing electric range extender systems, which employ a compact combustion engine paired with a generator to reliably supply electrical energy when the battery is depleted, thereby addressing range anxiety.
To demonstrate the practical application of these technologies, ZF introduced the EVselect concept vehicle. This vehicle incorporates pre-series versions of electric primary and secondary drives based on the SELECT platform, alongside the new TherMaS system, offering a tangible experience of ZF’s innovations.
ZF’s strategy focuses on high integration of hardware and software functions into single systems, which helps save space, weight, materials, and ultimately, costs. “Our comprehensive range also includes offering attractive drive solutions for highly efficient combustion engines as well as the entire spectrum of electrified drives and constantly developing them further – across all vehicle classes,” Miedreich added, highlighting ZF’s holistic approach to the evolving mobility landscape.
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