January 24, 2018

HMV Survivor I provides ideal combination of acceleration, mobility, safety and reliability for crisis situations

HAMBURG – Prevailing in a Europe-wide tender against competitors, the High Mobility Vehicle (HMV) Survivor I, built by Austrian manufacturer Achleitner, in July became the first such vehicle in Germany equipped with Allison fully automatic transmission.

“So far, we are very satisfied with the Survivor I,” said Thorsten Krumm, fleet manager for the police of the Hanseatic City of Hamburg. “Due to the Allison transmission, the vehicle is extremely easy to maneuver and also offers driving comfort. The acceleration capability of the 12-ton, 6-meter long Survivor I is important in precarious situations.”

The vehicle is for use by special police forces during a wide range of dangerous events, including terrorist attacks, kidnappings and rampages. The armored troop transporter enables special task forces to arrive quickly and safely wherever they’re needed. Several officers have already received vehicle training.

“Every officer of the special forces has to be able to drive the Survivor I,” said Krumm. “In dangerous situations, the ease of use with an Allison transmission is a great advantage.”

The Allison 2500 SP transmission meets both the tactical and economic requirements of the Hamburg police and offers unrivaled reliability. It’s specially designed for demanding security vehicles such as the HMV Survivor I. Allison’s torque converter smoothly multiplies engine torque during start-up, delivering more power to the wheels and protects the drivetrain against torque shock and vibrations.

“The Allison transmission enables smooth acceleration and ideal shifting even under load,” said Krumm. “This gives our colleagues an additional feeling of safety during operations.”

The four-wheel drive vehicle is based on a chassis that was developed by Achleitner. Its ability to climb and cross a wide variety of terrain is as impressive as its on-road performance.

“High speeds with partial, full braking during emergency operation are not uncommon,” said Philipp Wallisch, transmissions sales manager for Allison distributor K & W Drive Systems in Austria. “The best possible acceleration is immediately ensured and available, and the right shift selection is provided by Allison due to the appropriate power shift gear ratios.”

By protecting the vehicle driveline and providing overall durability, an Allison transmission is not only crucial for critical operations – but it also reduces maintenance costs and prolongs the total lifetime of the vehicle.

Technical data of the Achleitner HMV Survivor I demonstration vehicle

The configuration of the vehicle of police Hamburg is subject to confidentiality and is different from the configuration of demonstration vehicle.

Image: © Achleitner. The Allison transmission-equipped vehicle is for use by special police forces during a wide range of dangerous events, including terrorist attacks, kidnappings and rampages. The armored troop transporter enables special task forces to arrive quickly and safely wherever they’re needed. Several officers have already received vehicle training.

Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is the world’s largest manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, and is a leader in hybrid-propulsion systems for city buses. Allison transmissions are used in a variety of applications including refuse, construction, fire, distribution, bus, motorhomes, defense and energy. Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA and employs approximately 2,600 people worldwide. With a market presence in more than 80 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Hungary and India. Allison also has approximately 1,400 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com.

The company Achleitner was founded in 1932 and has developed from a manual forge to a commercial medium-sized enterprise. The company still remains a family business, employs about 260 people, is headquartered in Wörgl (Tyrol) and has a manufacturing facility in Radfeld. Achleitner covers the areas of vehicle construction, tire and rim trade. For vehicle construction, the company operates in several different areas. This ranges from all-wheel drive installation for standard 4x2 vehicles in cooperation with OEMs, to trailers, semitrailers and bodies for the commercial vehicle and motor sports sector, all the way to armored vehicles in a wide variety of configuration and protection classes. The company handles series construction as well as individual and customer-specific construction. For more information, visit www.achleitner.com/de/fahrzeugbau.