Allison Transmission announces first European contracts for two-mode hybrid system

Allison Transmission of General Motors Corporation, maker of heavy-duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems, confirmed today at the Internationale Automobile-Ausstellung (IAA) commercial vehicle show that Polish bus manufacturer Solaris Bus & Coach Co. and Dutch guided vehicle manufacturer APTS will use its advanced two-mode GM Allison Hybrid System. The technology, a unique parallel hybrid design combining power from a diesel engine with electric power from an energy storage system, offers bus manufacturers the opportunity to cut emissions, increase fuel economy and improve vehicle performance.

Allison’s extensive experience, gained from producing over 500 diesel-electric hybrid bus systems for the United States and Canada, combined with design and operating advantages has led Polish bus manufacturer Solaris Bus to select the GM Allison Hybrid System for its Urbino articulated bus. “Allison is a reliable partner to work with so we are happy to extend our relationship with them and trust them with confidence to supply us with its GM Allison Hybrid System,” says Krzysztof Olszewski, Solaris Bus’ CEO.

The opportunity to use a trusted and reliable solution was equally important.

“It is absolutely critical to us that the technology we use has been tested and proven and Allison is the only company that can provide that,” continues Olszewski. “From its application in the US we know the technology performs well in real operations and also that Allison is able meet both our current and future supply needs.”

The second contract is to supply APTS, the Dutch developer of tram-like guided vehicles, with hybrid systems for the Phileas guided articulated vehicle system in Northern France. Managed by the French SMTD Transport Authority, the programme is an ambitious guided, public service hybrid vehicle plan that aims to set new standards for tram-like vehicles with low emissions, high reliability and economic operation. Together with a requirement for strong reliability, APTS selected the GM Allison Hybrid System for its packaging and weight benefits, allowing the vehicles to retain high occupancy levels. “The GM Allison hybrid technology was chosen following extensive technical review and testing of competing solutions,” says Jos Jansen, Marketing Director from APTS. “It was found that the Allison system was significantly easier to integrate and saved around 1,500kg per vehicle compared with competitor solutions, allowing cost and emissions reductions and an increase in payload,”

The ability to easily package the system, similar in size to a conventional automatic transmission, made the installation equally simple and less costly for Solaris bus. “The ability to fit it into existing buses without having to make any design alterations to accommodate it was another key factor,” says Krzysztof Olszewski.

For Allison these systems represent the first steps of further growth for the technology in Europe. “The environmental benefits of the GM Allison Hybrid system are significant,” says Robert M. Clark III, Allison’s Managing Director for Europe, Middle East, Africa, India and Latin America. “With the fuel efficiency, quiet operation, performance, and reliability benefits our two-mode parallel hybrid system offers, we anticipate strong European market acceptance of this technology.”