PERFORMANCE NEEDS OF TOMORROW'S DRIVELINE LUBRICANTS

There is a trend with driveline lubricants toward improved thermal stability, vehicle component durability and fuel efficiency. These improvements can significantly reduce vehicle operating costs and improve customer satisfaction. Of these improvements, the fuel efficiency is getting a substantial attention due to recent focus on $CO_2$ emission control in Europe, Japan and $CAF{\'{E}}$ requirement in U.S.A. Lower viscosity axle oils and transmission fluids are currently being evaluated as potential solutions since these lubricants tend to reduce the churning losses and can improve the fuel efficiency. However, these lubricants should provide adequate gear and bearing protection, while increasing the overall efficiency of the driveline components. In this paper, the development of new fuel efficient axle was discussed with the focus on the effect of base oils, additives, and viscosity modifiers on the fuel efficiency of driveline components.