Hard on the heels of its just-announced strategic partnershipwith Hyliion, Dana has further secured its position as a Tier 1 component supplier for electric-truck makers.The Lion Electric Co.announced on March 17 at the TMC Annual Meeting in Atlanta that it has named Dana as a preferred supplier of both traditional and electric components for its all-electric Class 8 urban delivery truck currently under development.

TMC also was the venue for Dana to announce a new medium-duty drive axle.

According to Tim Farney, Dana’s vice president of global sales, the Lion8 electric truck will feature Dana’s TM4 Sumo HD direct-drive electric motors and BC120 chargers and inverters, as well as the company’s Neuro vehicle control system. The truck will also feature Dana Spicer DS404 drive axles and SPL 250 driveshafts.

“We are pleased to be partnering with Dana to bring innovative zero-emissions solutions to the commercial-vehicle market,” said Yannick Pauline, COO of Quebec-based Lion Electric. “Dana’s unmatched proficiency in proven e-propulsion systems will be a strong additional to the development of our all-electric truck platform.”

“We’ve been doing electric vehicle systems on the highway and automotive side for more than 25 years,” added Steve Slesinski, director of global product planning for Dana. “We have a broad portfolio of products including a new ES5700R electric drive axle in China for small buses. And we are developing a whole range of electrified axle solutions for both medium- and heavy-duty trucks in North America.”

Slesinski noted that Dana has also launched an online Total Cost of Ownership calculator for fleet managers who want to get real-world projections on the realities and benefits of running electric trucks.

Dana is bullish on the potential for electric trucks and vans, Slesinski said. The company is tracking the mileage run by electric vehicles using its components at the show. He pointed out that these vehicles have already logged more than 369,008,540 miles.

Drive axle for medium-duty

Slesinski also said that Dana will be using this week’s TMC meeting to announce and showcase its new Spicer Trac-Loc limited-slip differential S140 single drive axle, which will enter production for medium-duty applications later this year.

He said the new axle provides Class 6 vocational vehicles with improved tractor capability without the need for the driver to throw switches to engage or disengage the system.

Additionally, the axle is simple to install and maintain, Slesinski said, without requiring wires, sensors or air hoses. During a slip event, the axle automatically sends approximately three times more torque to the high-traction wheel end to compensate for any loss of traction. The axle then automatically returns to normal wheel-end differentiation as conditions revert to normal, to consistently deliver maximum handling characteristics.