Volkan, a Turkish special vehicle manufacturer, has selected automatic transmissions from ZF for its current fire trucks for airports, the Lion 8x8 and Lion 6x6. That's no surprise as robust, customized transmission technology is a must in order to ensure reliability when the vehicles are used in the toughest conditions. The Lion 6x6 is way ahead of the crowd with ZF-EcoLife Offroad, the new 7-speed transmission. The tried and tested 6-speed Ecomat transmission will be installed in the Lion 8x8.
In both vehicle models, the Smart Driveline Torque Control transmission control unit ensures perfect performance in any situation. Rescue operations at airports pose a special challenge to fire trucks. They have to be able to transport several thousand liters of water for firefighting, but must also be able to accelerate quickly, take on any terrain and perform tough driving maneuvers.
automatic transmissions transfer
Volkan's flagship vehicle accelerates from 0 to 80 km/h in 22 seconds thanks to its two engines in the rear
As rescue teams need to be able to get anywhere in the airport grounds within three minutes, the drivelines of these heavy, multi-axle and all-wheel drive special vehicles are put under a lot of stress. With the Volkan Lion 6x6 and Lion 8x8, ZF's automatic transmissions transfer the engine power dynamically and with precision and also power the fire pumps.
The Smart Driveline Torque Control software function only transmits the maximum permitted torque to the transmission input so that the vehicle can continue performing perfectly. Volkan's flagship vehicle, the Lion 8x8, accelerates from 0 to 80 km/h in 22 seconds thanks to its two engines in the rear - making it twice as fast as other trucks of the same weight.
Lion 8x8: Two engines + two transmissions = record-breaking acceleration
Pump & Roll function
The 45-ton vehicle has 1,160 HP in total, which is transmitted to the driveline via two ZF Ecomat transmissions in the first series. Every Ecomat transmission can handle almost 2,500 newton meters. The Lion 8x8 is equipped with a "Pump & Roll" function which enables it to activate the water cannons in limited driving mode.
When this function is used, one of the two drivelines can be disconnected from the transfer case, which sprays out around 10,000 liters of water per minute via the pump when fires are being fought. In the 39-ton Lion 6x6, a 566 kW Scania V8 engine cooperates with the ZF-EcoLife Offroad to ensure that the vehicle can be put to work as quickly as possible.
Lion 6x6: Kitted out for emergencies with ZF-EcoLife Offroad
torsional damper filters
The integrated torsional damper filters unwanted engine vibrations before they reach the transmission
The ZF-EcoLife Offroad is far more dynamic than the Ecomat in terms of acceleration, top speed and climbing capacity, thanks to a greater total spread. The permitted 3,000 newton meter torque catapults the 39-ton fire truck from 0 to 80 km/h in 30 seconds without interruptions. In conjunction with the new torque converter with integrated torque converter lock-up clutch, a smooth launch, good acceleration values and quiet operation are also ensured at low engine speeds.
The integrated torsional damper filters and dampens unwanted engine vibrations before they even reach the transmission. The integrated retarder brings the Lion 6x6 to standstill safely, making service braking gentler and thus reducing wear and tear on it. A new dual cooling system keeps the oil temperature low even at extreme external temperatures, such as those found in Turkey or other countries where temperatures can be very high.
consistently optimal performance
The vehicle is thus always ready for action. The Smart Driveline Torque Control software function enables ZF transmissions to detect, offset and control the torque applied to the engine. It is thus possible to get more performance from the engine with ZF-EcoLife Offroad and Ecomat without overloading the driveline. The excess torque can be transferred to secondary loads such as the cooling system, power generation or other auxiliary power units.
This means that driving performance is never interrupted, even in the most complicated situations. Thanks to Smart Driveline Torque Control, ZF transmissions work together with engines which would otherwise require a much larger transmission. This saves on cost, weight and valuable installation space.
