September 21, 2021. Allison Transmission, a leading designer and manufacturer of conventional and electrified vehicle propulsion solutions, and the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions for commercial and defense vehicles and leading Chinese bus manufacturer, Zhongtong Bus Holding Co., Ltd. joined together and delivered 211 compressed natural gas (CNG) city buses equipped with Allison T270R transmissions to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.
As the capital of Armenia, Yerevan has posed challenges to city bus makers with its hot summers, cold winters and narrow downtown roadways. Due to their environmental friendliness and lower noise compared to buses with diesel engines, natural gas buses fit best in the intensely populated metropolis. Catering for inner city traffic, this 8-meter-long low-entry bus model is the product of Zhongtong’s sophisticated bus making platform and meets the operational needs of Yerevan’s public transport.
The bus model has 25 seats and is rated for 60 passengers. Powered by a 200hp Weichai CNG engine and an Allison T270R fully automatic transmission with gross input torque 900Nm, the bus complies with Euro V pollutant emission standards. The transmission also features 6 forward speeds, 1 reverse and an integral retarder which extends the life of the brakes and lowers maintenance costs.
Allison Automatics are perfectly suited to natural gas engines on city buses. While a manual or automated manual transmission (AMT) loses power with every shift, a fully automatic transmission increases power and accelerated speed, achieving better fuel economy and less pollutant emission.
The Allison T270R transmission features Allison’s 5th Generation Electronic Controls, which offer an enhanced array of smart controls designed for the specific needs of any application. Fully automatics only require periodic oil and filter changes meaning less downtime and lower life-cycle costs, thus achieving greater vehicle reliability with more time on the road.
