Dennis Eagle, a leading manufacturer of refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) in the UK, will specify xFE fully automatic transmissions from Allison Transmission on two and three-axle Dennis Eagle Elite+ chassis. Allison is a global leader in commercial and defence vehicle propulsion solutions.
The Allison xFE (for extra Fuel Economy) transmission features FuelSense 2.0 Max, an innovative technology package designed to help customers maximise vehicle performance and efficiency. This will see Dennis Eagle customers in domestic and export markets benefit from fuel savings of up to 6% against the demanding duty cycles and stop-start nature of refuse collection applications, compared to transmissions without the xFE technology.
One of the enabling features of FuelSense 2.0 Max is DynActive Shifting, which uses an algorithm to select the most efficient shift points from an infinite number of combinations based on customer specifications, the engine fuel map, and vehicle and environmental parameters. Neutral at Stop reduces engine load during low-speed coasting and when the vehicle is stationary, for further fuel savings. In addition, enhanced Acceleration Rate Management helps mitigate aggressive driving by automatically controlling engine torque across five levels.
The xFE models specified by Dennis Eagle are the 3000 xFETM and the 3000R (retarder) xFETM.
‘At a time when operators are under increasing pressure to cut costs and reduce emissions, Dennis Eagle continues to enhance the Elite+ with innovations that deliver meaningful savings without compromise,’ says Simon McCulloch, Technical Sales Manager at Dennis Eagle. ‘Technologies such as automatic Neutral at Stop and shift points optimised for real-world RCV duty-cycles combined with the trusted durability and ease of use of the Allison transmissions give fleet operators a clear edge in fuel efficiency and, in turn, reduced emissions.’
Jade Noble-Byrne, OEM Account Manager, UK & ROI, at Allison Transmission, said: ‘UK RCV fleets already have a high expectation of the Dennis Eagle-Allison Transmission combination, and this release follows a long history of innovation between our two companies. The xFE transmission will help Dennis Eagle customers get the best performance from their vehicles. A great example of this is the learning algorithm used by FuelSense 2.0 Max, which, rather than relying on fixed points on a shift table, continuously finds the ideal balance for the duty-cycle, so that vehicles operate as efficiently as possible at all times.’
