Allison Transmission

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This Source

Allison Transmission is a manufacturer of automatic transmissions for medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicle applications. The company's headquarters are located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The original Indianapolis plant dates to the September 14, 1915 founding of the Indianapolis Speedway Team Company by James A. Allison(1872-1928). Changing its name in 1918 to the Allison Experimental Company, the company contributed to the United States' buildup to fight World War I. In 1909, James Allison started the Indianapolis 500 race to prove the automobile components they manufactured. Now known as the Allison Engineering Company, Allison produced bearings for the Liberty engine.

General Motors purchased the company in 1929 on the death of the founder, becoming the Allison Division in 1934. The company's V1710 12-cylinder aircraft engine made the Allison Engine Company a major force in aviation. In the 1960s, the company produced the M551 Sheridan light tank and the M109 howitzer for the Military of the United States.

In the 1940s, Allison introduced the CD-850 tank transmission, transforming the company again. The company's MT-25 was its first major success in on-road transmissions, and the company continues to produce high-torque automatic transmissions today. Allison six-speed automatic transmissions can commonly be found fitted to buses from Motor Coach Industries.

In addition to its Indianapolis plant, Allison operates manufacturing facilities in Baltimore (US), Szentgotthard (Hungary), and Santo Amaro (Brazil).

On June 28, 2007, GM announced that it was selling its Allison unit to private equity firms The Carlyle Group and Onex Corporation, in a deal valued at $5.6 billion.. The transaction closed on August 7, 2007. GM retains the Baltimore plant, which produces the 1000 Series transmission used in GM medium duty pickup trucks.

Allison Transmission developed the hybrid electric technology that General Motors will use in the forthcoming hybrid-drive vehicles, and is incorporated in hybrid propulsion systems for buses primarily assembled by New Flyer Industries and Gillig Corporation.

Products

Hybrid buses transit clients

GM-Allison debuted the hybrid technology for transit buses in 2003. Through 2011, it intends to introduce 16 hybrid models.

In 2008, the number of GM-Allison hybrid buses are more than 2,700 units in 81 cities in the U.S., Canada and Europe. . This includes:

References

External links

Hybrid buses



Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia © 2001-2006 Wikipedia contributors (Disclaimer)
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Wednesday July 16, 2008 at 18:36:00 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation