Paccar unveils 12-speed automatic transmission to pair with MX13 engine

Paccar on Tuesday completed the rollout of the company’s integrated powertrain with the debut of a 12-speed automated transmission. The march toward vehicle integration first began in 2010 with the North American introduction of Paccar’s MX engine lineup. A 40k rear-axle followed last year, and a Paccar front axle will be available in October.

Paccar Vice President for Powertrain Landon Sproull says the transmission is a clean sheet design, developed over three years in conjunction with Eaton to work with MX engines and Paccar axles.

Currently, Sproull says 70 percent of all on-highway Paccar trucks are spec’d with AMTs, but he notes the new Paccar offering was purpose-built as an automated transmission and is not converted from a manual.

“We wanted to specifically design a transmission that would meet the needs of the vehicle,” he adds.

“It was never intended to be a manual,” adds Paccar Technical Center Director of Advanced Technology Carl Hergart.

Mike Dozier, Kenworth general manager and Paccar vice president, expects automated transmission sales to hit 90 percent by 2020 for both companies – a 30 percent surge from 2016.

Kyle Quinn, Peterbilt general manager and Paccar senior vice president, says the integrated Paccar powertrain offers a total vehicle weight savings of 399 pounds – with 105 pounds shaved from the transmission, 144 pounds from the engine and 150 pounds from the axle.

The new powertrain will be standard on the Peterbilt Model 579 Epiq and Kenworth T680 Advantage, and will be available as an option on other on-highway models. At launch, it will be available matched only to the MX-13 engine.