The Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb München (AWM), one of the largest municipal waste management companies in Germany, has been operating 10 Scania CNG refuse collection vehicles with Allison 3000 Series™ transmissions for several years as part of a sustainable fleet renewal program. An additional 34 vehicles will be added to the fleet by autumn 2022, of which some 20 have already been delivered. The aim is to change AWM’s entire fleet of 184 refuse trucks to environmentally friendly propulsion systems.
Half of the 34 new vehicles will be Scania R 280 B 6×2*4 NB//CNG with CR20L long-distance cab and 3,750 mm wheelbase, and the other half are Scania L 280 B6x2*4 NB// CNG with low-floor cab, CityDoor and 3,550 mm wheelbase. The trucks are equipped with Allison 3000 Series™ automatic transmissions and are powered by Euro 6, 5-cylinder inline CNG engines with a displacement of 9.3 liters. Their output is 206 kW (276 HP) and they deliver a torque of 1350 Nm at 1000 rpm and above. The vehicle body is a Faun Variopress with a lifter system by Zoeller.
Following a European-wide tender, the decision was made in favor of this overall vehicle configuration. As early as the 1970s, AWM has opted for fully automatic transmissions to avoid clutch replacements and to provide greater comfort for the drivers. Another plus point for the Scania-Allison combination was the included fuel saving measures. Thanks to Allison’s FuelSense® 2.0 software, the gear shift points are optimally set and fuel consumption is reduced.
“The overall package makes a lot of sense”, said Matthias Thiem, Sales of Municipal and Specialized Vehicles at Scania. “Allison is unbeatable in such applications, with up to 700 engine stop-starts per day. Torque converter transmissions are extremely robust and therefore reduce stress levels for operators but also for sellers.”
“Maintenance is considerably simpler for vehicles with fully automatic transmissions. We usually drive our vehicles for 10 to 12 years. With manual or automated manual transmissions, it would mean four clutch replacements,” said Sabine Schulz-Hammerl, Managing Director of AWM. “However, the Allison torque converter does not wear out and thus does not need to be replaced. The only regular maintenance we do is routine oil and filter changes, and here we follow the manufacturer’s exact service intervals.”
By eliminating the need to replace clutches, AWM benefits enormously, not only in terms of reduced operating costs, but also in terms of keeping to scheduled routes and reducing downtime.
Allison Automatics are ideal for natural gas engines that endure the heavy stop-start duty cycles of municipal vehicles in city traffic. Natural gas engines are more responsive when combined with Allison fully automatic transmissions. Allison torque converter technology assists the natural gas engine at vehicle launch, multiplies engine torque and delivers smooth power to the wheels. As a result, the vehicles deliver the best performance and use the fuel very efficiently, regardless of whether they are fueled with biomethane or fossil natural gas. The precise crawling speed and precision tuning facilitate the collection of garbage bins in narrow spaces, as well as working at very low speeds.
Source: Allison Transmission
