Innovating Traditions
From James A. Allison owning the champion race car of the 1915 Indianapolis 500 event, to supporting the U.S. military during the two World Wars, to inventing the first heavy-duty automatic transmission, for over 100 years, Allison has been committed to designing high-quality, reliable, and durable products.
Today, as the world’s largest manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions and a leader in electrified propulsion systems, we remain dedicated to fulfilling this brand promise.
1915-1939: Origins Era
- 1915: James A. Allison established the Speedway Team company to support his own racing career at the Indianapolis 500. This company eventually evolved into Allison Transmission. From the very beginning, quality and craftsmanship have been the foundation of the company’s business philosophy. The following quote from James Allison reflects the brand commitment of Allison, which was displayed on a sign in his shop: “Everything that leaves this shop with my name on it must be the best of its kind.”
- In 1917, following the outbreak of World War I, James A. Allison directed his Speedway Team company to halt all racing-related activities and canceled the Indianapolis 500 event. The Speedway Team company supported the U.S. war efforts by developing high-speed crawler-type tractors for hauling artillery and battlefield equipment, aircraft engines, tank components, tank tracks, production superchargers, and reduction gearboxes.
- In 1920, Speedway Team Company was renamed Allison Engineering Company to accommodate the company’s development beyond racing and racetracks. Allison had already firmly established its reputation for quality by producing the Liberty aircraft engine, which earned recognition from the United States Bureau of Aircraft Production. Shortly after the end of World War I, Allison Engineering Company began manufacturing precision reduction gear assemblies for the American Liberty aircraft engine, as well as V-drive marine gearboxes, four-cylinder generator sets, and 12-cylinder marine engines with 425 horsepower.
- In 1928, following the death of James Allison, Allison Engineering Company was sold to General Motors with the stipulation that the headquarters would remain in Indianapolis for at least 10 years. To this day, the headquarters and main production base of Allison Transmission are still located in Indianapolis.
- In 1937, Allison Engineering Company’s V1710 12-cylinder liquid-cooled aircraft engine passed its 150-hour acceptance trials at Wright Field, making it the first 1,000 horsepower American engine to complete this task. The V1710 later powered many of the prestigious fighters of the United States Army Air Forces.
1940-1945: World War II Era
- On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and the United States entered World War II. The Allison Division of General Motors, with its V1710 and V3420 models and their variants, was called upon to support the United States Army Air Forces and the air forces of allied nations. Engine production soared to 1,000 units per month. Prior to the Pearl Harbor incident, the monthly production capacity was 225 engines.
- In 1943, as women joined the workforce to support the war effort, the number of female employees at General Motors’ Allison Division reached a record high, exceeding 30% of the total workforce. Engine production peaked at approximately 3,000 units per month, with the total number of employees reaching an all-time high of 23,019.
1946-1969: Postwar Era
- In 1947, following the war, Allison officially entered the commercial transmission field. The first Allison “V” (angle drive) transmission was shipped to General Motors’ Truck and Coach Division. For over 30 years, GM buses equipped with Allison transmissions transported millions of passengers throughout North America.
- In 1956, the Allison Division of General Motors completed a six-speed design and equipped Chevrolet medium-duty trucks with an Allison hydraulic retarder. The company also introduced its first on-highway automatic transmission, the CTP4, which featured a four-element torque converter, six forward gears, and one reverse gear. Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge commercial trucks were among the first vehicles to be equipped with this transmission.
- In 1969, Allison introduced the new four-speed AT540, which was the first automatic transmission designed for medium-duty trucks.
1970-1986: The Detroit Era
- In 1973, following the merger of General Motors’ Allison Division and the Detroit Diesel Division into Detroit Diesel Allison, the company introduced the CLTB750, which became the first fully automatic transmission for large trucks, loaders, and other heavy-duty off-highway vehicles in the United States. Additionally, fully automatic transmissions became the standard power system for most U.S. Army trucks, marking a significant milestone for Allison.
- In 1975, the first new bus transmission since 1950 was introduced: the three-speed fully automatic V730. Hundreds of thousands of V730 transmissions would eventually power city buses across North America.
- In 1982, Allison introduced the HT 747™ transmission, which was the first transmission specifically designed for articulated urban buses. That same year, the new generation of heavy-duty automatic transmission, the DP-8962™, was also launched.
- In 1983, Allison introduced the CLT9880™ transmission, designed for use in oil and gas production.
1987-2008: The Back to Indy Era
- In 1988, Allison released the AT 542™ transmission, suitable for Class A motorhomes. Variants of this transmission continue to power the majority of motorhomes in North America.
- In 1999, General Motors and Allison Transmission initiated an electric hybrid bus program for the New York City Transit Authority. Additionally, the company established the new Allison Electric Drive Technology Center.
- In 2003, Allison Transmission merged with General Motors’ Powertrain Division, which was responsible for the design and manufacturing of engines, transmissions, castings, and components. The H 40/50 EP electric hybrid propulsion system for city buses, developed by Allison, began production.
- In 2007, following General Motors’ announcement of the plan to spin off Allison Transmission the previous year, The Carlyle Group and Onex Corporation acquired the Allison Transmission business for $5.6 billion, making Allison Transmission an independent company separate from General Motors. Lawrence E. Dewey was appointed as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
2009-Present: Era of Innovation
- In 2012, Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. began trading on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol ALSN. Chief Executive Officer Lawrence E. Dewey indicated to investors that the company would implement several priority strategies, including expanding its global market leadership, increasing penetration in emerging markets, focusing on the development of new technologies and products, and delivering strong financial performance.
- In 2020, the Vehicle Electrification and Environmental Test Center at Allison’s Indianapolis campus became operational, providing a test environment unaffected by seasons and independent of specific power sources. Additionally, Allison announced the launch of its next-generation electric hybrid propulsion system, eGen Flex, for buses. The 3414 Regional Haul Series transmission for medium-duty distribution and transport trucks was also introduced. In October, Allison began rolling out the eGen Power series of fully electric vehicle axles.
- In 2021, Allison Transmission launched the groundbreaking FracTran hydraulic fracturing transmission and the TerraTran global mining and construction application solution, thereby expanding its off-highway product lineup.
- In 2022, Allison inaugurated its Innovation Center, a new 96,000-square-foot facility that enhances product and technology development and validation capabilities, thereby providing support for customers, industry partners, and suppliers.
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