ZF CeTrax lite enters production
ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions (CVS) division has announced that its new CeTrax lite electric central drive has entered series production in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
The first applications will take to the road with Japanese manufacturer Isuzu, which will install the drive in its new Elf EV.
Using synergies from ZF’s development and production of passenger car drives, the new driveline is designed for use in commercial vehicles up to 7.5 tons.
Designed as a highly integrated electric drive, CeTrax lite is said to provide significant advantages for manufacturers worldwide, particularly supporting emission-free urban and ‘last mile’ deliveries. The technology has already received orders from Asia and the Americas.
“As an electric central drive, CeTrax lite allows our customers to electrify their existing vehicle platforms. This proves our technical approach and further demonstrates the trust customers are placing in our electric solutions,” said Winfried Gründler, head of product line for driveline systems with ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions division.
“Designed for silent, emission-free inner-city and last mile freight delivery, CeTrax lite provides leading levels of 
performance and efficiency. As such it represents an important new milestone in our Next Generation Mobility strategy and reinforces our commitment to decarbonisation of the industry.”
ZF’s CeTrax lite technology supports the architectures of conventionally fuelled vehicles as well as manufacturers’ electrification strategies.
CeTrax lite has a peak performance of 150 kW and a torque of 1,500 Nm. The optimised compact design helps maximise space for electric components and batteries, says ZF.
The module is a fully integrated system, housing the electric motor as well as a one-speed transmission stage and power electronics. In addition to its enhanced flexibility, the system offers a lightweight design at around 120kg.
