Tier 1 commercial-vehicle component supplier Dana Incorporated is expanding its presence in the electric truck arena, given a trio of announcements made on April 24 that lead off with the launch of a new direct-drive electric powertrain.

According to Dana, the new TM4 Sumo LD is a motor-inverter combination designed for Class 2 through Class 6 commercial vehicles. The new offering is an extension of TM4 Sumo product lineup, which the manufacturer said powers more than 12,000 electrified vehicles.

Designed primarily for direct-drive architectures, the LD model will also provide a modular solution for future transitions to widespread e-Axle platforms, Dana stated. When integrated with one of Dana’s electrified axle solutions, it can be configured for light-commercial and medium-duty truck and bus applications as well as for Class 8 hybrid vehicles.

“The TM4 Sumo direct-drive electric powertrain offering is a globally adopted, road-proven, highly efficient solution utilized in thousands of electrified vehicles, which is a key differentiator setting us apart from other electrodynamic solutions,” said Christophe Dominiak, chief technology officer for Dana. He noted that the LD series has been engineered into multiple products in the Spicer Electrified line and is adaptable “to the architecture requirements of our customers, from direct-drive solutions to fully integrated e-Axle designs.”

Over its three available models, the TM4 Sumo LD offers up to 250 kW of continuous power and 1200 Nm of torque. Its new winding technology, combined with an innovative internal permanent magnet rotor design, yields a 10% decrease in magnets and creates a more lightweight and compact solution to fit smaller vehicle envelopes, according to Dana. In addition, the LD is matched with the three-phase CO150 inverter, which the company noted is already used in thousands of vehicles worldwide.

TM4 is a joint venture of Dana and Hydro-Québec. Based in Boucherville, Québec, TM4 designs and manufactures electric motors, generators, power electronics, and control systems for the commercial vehicle and other market.

The new TM4 Sumo LD will be on display at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, California, along with the comprehensive Spicer Electrified offering, through April 26 in Dana’s booth, number 1847.

Electrifying Isuzu N-Series

Dana also announced it will partner with Québec-based Nordresa Inc. to integrate its Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle into the Isuzu N-Series chassis and, separately, that it will collaborate with California-based Motiv Power Systems to integrate the eS9000r on the Ford F-550 chassis.

The Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle comprises an integrated motor, transmission, and axle system. Dana said it is designed as a “drop-in” replacement for existing axles used in medium-duty truck and bus applications. The e-Axle also incorporates a patent-pending integrated parking mechanism (park pawl) that eliminates the need for an external solution on vehicles without a transmission, according to the manufacturer.

Dana said the progression to fully integrated e-Axles allows the traditional mechanical driveline system to be replaced with an electric motor integrated directly into the vehicle’s differential housing, improving design flexibility for battery placement and truck body positioning.

The company pointed out that Nordresa’s proprietary electric powertrain controls will be a key feature of the electrified Isuzu chassis. Dana also said that the electric Isuzu N-Series chassis, developed jointly, can be used for straight trucks, service trucks, and other vehicles. It is designed for a range up to 110 miles and peak power of 226 kW for grade startability of 20%.

“As electrification continues to expand in the commercial-vehicle segment, Dana is focused on cultivating its product offerings to deliver immediate, tangible benefits to our customers,” said Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies. “Collaborating with a leading integrator like Nordresa further supports our customers with complementary technologies that are ideal solutions for the medium-duty and bus markets.”

“We continue to make progress in the development and integration of electrified drivetrains across a diverse set of applications and customers,” said Sylvain Castonguay, president and CEO of Nordresa. “We are pleased to be partnering with Dana, a leader in electrification, to extend those solutions even further as demand continues to grow.”

Electrifying Ford F-550 Chassis

As for the collaboration with Motiv to electrify the Ford F-550 chassis, Dana said that by replacing the traditional mechanical driveline with an electric motor integrated directly into the vehicle’s differential housing, the e-Axle provides greater design flexibility for battery placement and truck body attachment. In addition to Dana’s e-Axle technology, the chassis features Motiv’s proprietary electric powertrain controls.

“Dana sees tremendous demand in the commercial vehicle space for full electrification, and the Ford F-550 chassis represents an ideal application for integrating our innovative e-Axle technology,” said Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies. “Collaborating with pioneers like Motiv to offer integrated e-solutions enables commercial fleet owners to capitalize on the benefits of electrified vehicles.”

The Ford chassis with Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle is designed with a range of up to 90 miles and peak power of 226 kW for grade startability of 20%.

“We’re proud of our role in this initial Ford F-550 application,” said Matt O’Leary, CEO of Motiv. “It represents a combination of two complementary technologies in bringing electrification to commercial fleets. We share a common vision with Dana of expanding the market profile of battery electric vehicles in commercial transportation and welcome the opportunity to collaborate with them to advance this goal.”