Belgium – At Busworld 2023, held between 7-12 October at the Brussels Expo, ZF Friedrichshafen AG of Friedrichshafen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany premiered the low-floor variant of ‘AxTrax 2’ electric portal axle for buses, intended to maximise space for passengers and energy storage. 

The AxTrax 2 LF is the successor to the ‘AxTrax AVE’, taking up about the same amount of installation space. It comes in two options: continuous power of 260 kW and peak torque of 22,700 Nm; or continuous power of 360 kW and peak torque of 37,300 Nm. With the second option, the AxTrax 2 LF can power a 6x2 articulated bus weighing as much as 29 tonnes. The power is provided by two oil-cooled hairpin e-motors, each controlled by an 800-volt silicon carbide inverter. 

The AxTrax 2 LF is a modular product which packages the motors and inverters along with single-speed transmissions and an electronic control unit. Compared to its predecessor, the AxTrax 2 LF boasts 10% energy savings and a 20% improvement in hill climb ability in a 29-tonne artic. 

ZF will begin series production of the AxTrax 2 LF in 2025.