ZF bus technology highly popular in Turkey

The ZF-EcoLife 6-speed automatic transmission transfers higher torques with lower fuel consumption.

Technology by ZF Friedrichshafen AG is highly popular in the Turkish bus business: In total, eleven bus manufacturers have production locations there, all of them are ZF customers. For 2012, orders have already been placed for 900 buses by different manufacturers with final destination Turkey; these are equipped with the fuel-saving EcoLife 6-speed automatic transmission, ZF axles, and steering technology by ZF Steering Systems. Customers: The three major transport operators of Turkey, namely IETT in Istanbul, EGO in Ankara, and Eshot in Izmir. Thus, the most heavily populated cities of Turkey have decided in favor of ZF technology.

The ZF-EcoLife 6-speed automatic transmission transfers higher torques with lower fuel consumption.

In the course of the last years, Turkey has developed into one of the new centers of the automotive industry. There, eleven manufacturers produce buses for the whole Europe: Mercedes- Benz, MAN, Temsa, BMC, Otokar, Güleryüz, Karsan (in cooperation with BredaMenarini Bus), TCV, Tezauto, Isoto and Isuzu. And, all of them use ZF Driveline and Chassis Technology – after all, it is their customers who ask for the powerful products of the supplier company. Even in Turkey itself, the bus is a frequently used means of transport. Consequently, demand for modern vehicles voiced by transport operators is correspondingly high.

Orders from Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara

IETT, Istanbul’s largest transport operator, has the biggest fleet in Turkey with 2,700 buses. Already today, 98 percent of the vehicles are equipped with ZF transmissions. Moreover, in 2007, the transport operator introduced a Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) for faster passenger transit. Every day, Metrobus Istanbul transfers about one million passengers on a route network of 43 kilometers. Ever since, IETT is continuously converting vehicles into low-floor buses because they make it possible to get on and off the buses much quicker. For 2012, the transport operator has ordered 221 low-floor articulated buses of the “Conecto” type with Mercedes- Benz Türk. Matching BRT technology is provided by ZF: The AV 132 driven axle and the AVN 132 tag axle – both with ZF dampers – ensure a consistently even floor. Furthermore, the system is supplemented by the compact ZF-Servocom steering. At the same time, the EcoLife automatic transmission is perfectly adapted to the frequent approaching and stopping procedures in the BRT operation. It shifts smoothly and saves fuel thanks to its topography-dependent TopoDyn Life transmission control unit. In addition, 279 “Procity” low-floor solo buses by the manufacturer BMC are included in the IETT major order – all with EcoLife, front and rear axle, as well as steering column by the ZF Group.

For fleet renewal, another 150 buses of the “Procity” type (12 meter long) were ordered by Eshot, the transport operator of Izmir. For the time being, more than 90 percent of the buses in Izmir are equipped with ZF transmissions. Until mid-2012, the “Procity” units are to be delivered.

Ankara’s city transport operator has ordered 250 MAN buses of the “Lion’s City” model: The articulated buses with natural gas drives are equipped with the EcoLife transmission and ZF low-floor axles.