ZF Commercial Vehicle Solutions has added another industry accolade to its e-comp Scroll electric air compressor, winning the International busplaner Sustainability Prize 2026 at a ceremony on the eve of the Bus2Bus trade show in Berlin. The oil-free compression system targets medium- and heavy-duty hybrid, battery-electric, and fuel-cell trucks, buses, and coaches. The award follows the product’s Innovation Award at busworld 2025.
Highlights
- Won the 2026 International busplaner Sustainability Prize at a ceremony preceding Bus2Bus Berlin
- Oil-free scroll architecture produces roughly 67 dB(A) at a nominal output of 250 L/min
- Delivers up to 12.5 bar system pressure in a single stage at variable speed
- Requires no maintenance beyond air filter replacement, supporting lower total cost of ownership
Quiet Operation for Electric Commercial Vehicles
The e-comp Scroll compresses air through the motion of interlocking scrolls rather than reciprocating pistons. This design minimizes vibration and holds noise emissions to roughly 67 dB(A) at the nominal operating point of 250 liters per minute. ZF compares that level to a typical office environment.
For transit and coach operators, the acoustic profile matters. As electric powertrains eliminate engine noise, auxiliary systems that were previously masked become audible. This is particularly relevant on electric city buses, where passenger comfort is a selling point for zero-emission fleets.
“One of the key advantages of electric buses, beyond being zero emissions, is their quiet operation. However this makes other auxiliary systems like the air compressor far more noticeable and potentially disturbing for passengers. The e-comp Scroll solves this problem by adopting the scrolling compression principle to keep noise and vibration down to a minimum, improving passenger comfort,” said Dominic Rath, Head of Product Group Air Compressor & Electrification at ZF, who accepted the award on behalf of the company.
Technical Architecture
Powered by an integrated electric motor, the unit reaches 12.5 bar of system pressure in a single stage. It operates at variable speed to match demand and can shut down completely when no compressed air is required, reducing parasitic load on the high-voltage system.
The compressor is oil-free, eliminating the risk of oil carryover or leakage into downstream pneumatic circuits. An inverter and a liquid-cooling loop hold discharge temperatures below 90°C. Beyond periodic air filter replacement, the unit needs no scheduled maintenance, which ZF says contributes to lower lifetime costs versus oil-lubricated alternatives.
Cross-Domain Engineering
Rath framed the product as a consolidation of capabilities ZF’s broader organization already holds for other electrification programs, including the division’s eMobility portfolio for commercial vehicles.
“Developing the e-comp Scroll involved the combination of expertise across key vehicle domains such as electrification, thermal management and system integration to create a solution specifically designed for modern electric commercial vehicle architectures. By transferring and adapting technologies across vehicle domains, we support OEM customers in their transition to electrification while helping reduce the total cost of ownership,” he said.
HUSS-Verlag, publisher of busplaner, presented the prize together with Messe Berlin. The win adds to a run of bus-industry recognition for ZF Commercial Vehicle Solutions, which has previously picked up busplaner components awards for its CeTrax 2 electric drive and TraXon 2 Hybrid transmission.
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