ZF Friedrichshafen, a German-based automotive driveline and chassis manufacturer, is set to invest €800 million in the electrification of its transmission technology. Over the next four years, ZF will put the investment into its primary transmission plant located in Saarbrücken, Germany.

“The share of hybrid drives in production will increase tenfold over the next few years – from five to 50 percent,” said CEO Wolf-Henning Scheider.

The €800 million for the Saarbrücken plant will go towards production systems, infrastructure, and ZF’s supplier network. The money is part of a €3-billion investment that ZF is committing to improve its hybrid technology worldwide.

“We see the increasing market penetration of advanced hybrid drives as an opportunity, which in our view is much more than just a bridge technology,” said Scheider. “With longer ranges between 80 and 100 kilometers, [hybrid drives] can complete the majority of all journeys electrically and thus help e-mobility to achieve a breakthrough more quickly.”

Source: ZF Friedrichshafen