Gates Corp. has introduced an aftermarket solution kit for the Ford Drive Electric Hybrid System.

This new kit contains the replacement belt, tensioner and pulleys for the Ford E-450 Azure Hybrid Drive System. Azure Dynamics Corp., in partnership with the Ford Motor Co., produced a hybrid drive system that required a special dual-sided serpentine replacement belt. As Azure filed for bankruptcy in 2012, companies that have the Ford E-450 with the Azure Hybrid Drive System in their fleets have struggled with finding replacement parts for the accessory drive system and faced economic losses when fleet vehicles are out of commission.

FedEx was one of the companies struggling to find replacement parts for their Ford E-450 fleet vehicles and contacted the Gates Corporation. “We contacted Gates after exhausting our search for a custom belt for our hybrid vehicles,” stated Marcello D’Aureli, FedEx Master ASE certified senior vehicle technician. “Gates worked with us to recreate this very unique belt, and much to our surprise, they even supplied us with pulleys and tensioners. We now have several units on the road with this belt and tensioner kit.”

“At Gates, we take the voice of our customers seriously and our engineers are constantly creating solutions to difficult problems. We take pride in the latest addition to our Solution Kit product portfolio,” said Jason Davis, product marketing manager, Gates.