Allison paves the way for new solutions to urban passenger transportation in Brazil, with fully automatic transmissions delivering smooth operation, lower cost of ownership and improved efficiency.
Allison 3000 Series™ equipped Agrale and Mercedes-Benz buses are the latest to feature xFE technology. Optimized gear ratios coupled with the FuelSense® Max package allow the torque converter to lock-up at lower speeds, improving fuel economy by up to 7 percent.
Agrale offers its MA 17 bus with the Allison 3000 Series with xFE and an integrated hydraulic retarder. “Allison automatic transmissions, when coupled with our buses, deliver gains in many ways. They make operation easier by reducing driver fatigue – shifting requires no intervention, especially in stop-and-go traffic and rough terrain,” said Silvan Poloni, Agrale’s corporate sales manager.
“They also translate into greater comfort for passengers. For the company, the automatic transmission brings meaningful economic benefits because they collaborate with the reduction of operational and maintenance costs, and guarantee greater productivity and availability of the vehicle,” Poloni said.
In addition, the Allison 3000 Series is now available in the Mercedes-Benz OF1721L chassis, which was recently displayed at the Allison booth at the Lat.Bus & Transpublico 2018, the Latin America Transport trade-show.
“Automatic transmissions bring great advantages to transportation companies, which go from optimizing maintenance to greater powertrain durability. The driver gains more driving comfort as well as enhanced attention to the traffic. Passengers, on the other hand, gain on-board well-being due to softer shifting,” said Walter Barbosa, director of bus sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz Brazil.
Designed to accommodate up to 13.2 meter bodies, the OF1721 front engine configuration with air suspension has wide applications including use as a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) feeder, for continuous charter as an employee transport and for occasional tourist charters and short-distance transportation.
“The availability of the Allison automatic transmission for the OF1721L chassis allows Mercedes-Benz to offer customers more options to configure their buses according to their demands and operation features,” Barbosa said.
The Agrale MA 17 chassis with front-engine and Allison fully automatic transmission is already successful in Argentina, and drives interest from other markets in South America. The version for the Brazilian market has been set up for three doors, is up to 13.2 meters in length and features air suspension.
Allison’s decades-long experience in Argentina shows that Allison-equipped buses provide a smoother and quieter ride for passengers and drivers because the engines work at lower speeds. Allison Automatics enable buses to keep pace with traffic and to brake and resume speed quickly, which is essential in congested cities.
SOURCE: Allison Transmission
