Cummins to Produce High-Performance, Light-Duty Diesel Engines for Automaker
26 July 2006
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| Rendering of the V6 member of the engine family from Cummins-DOE Light-Duty Diesel project. |
Cummins Inc. has reached agreement with a major automotive manufacturer serving the North American market to produce and market a light-duty, diesel-powered engine. For competitive reasons, Cummins’ original equipment manufacturer partner in the venture has asked to remain confidential.
As part of the agreement, Cummins will develop and manufacture a family of high-performance, light-duty diesel engines for a variety of automotive applications in vehicles below 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight, including standard pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Certain bus, marine and industrial applications also will be served by this engine family.
The first vehicles with this engine are expected to be ready for market by the end of the decade. Cummins anticipates that this diesel engine will provide an average of 30% fuel savings, depending on the drive cycle, over gasoline-powered engines for comparable vehicles.
The concept for this product is the result of a nine-year partnership between Cummins and the US Department of Energy that has been developing an engine family with a 4.2-liter V6 and a 5.6-liter diesel V8 that will meet EPA Tier II and CARB LEV II emissions standards.
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| Rendering of the emissions aftertreatment system on the V family. Click to enlarge. |
In test vehicles, development versions of the 4.2-liter V6 have delivered combined cycle fuel economy of 22.1 mpg US, while development versions of the 5.6-liter V8 delivered 21.7 mpg US.
Earlier work on the new engine family used precise control of the air handling system and combustion to reduce engine-out emissions, followed by aftertreatment with a four-way catalyst system, including NOx Adsorber and Particulate Filter.
This agreement gives the driving public an even greater opportunity to experience the benefits of a new class of vehicles powered by a high-performance, fuel-efficient, clean diesel engine made by Cummins. This line of diesel engines also will fuel the growth of an exciting new market in which Cummins does not currently participate.
—Tim Solso, Cummins Chairman and CEO
Cummins currently provides on-road engines for the Dodge RAM pickup and a variety of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as off-highway and marine engines.
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They should do a 2.8L 4 cylinder version while they are at it. Then they could use it in smaller SUVs or whatever.
Keep plugging away with diesel - it will be part of the ultimate solution.
Posted by: mahonj | 26 July 2006 at 07:49 AM
A presentation on this engine family was given at the last DEER conference and is available at:
http://www.osti.gov/fcvt/deer2005/stang.pdf
Posted by: Carl | 26 July 2006 at 09:39 AM
Now if only they could manufacture a 1.5-2.0 liter 4-cylender like this and we'd be good to go.
Posted by: Cervus | 26 July 2006 at 11:04 AM
I would like to see a turbo-charged, two-cylinder, opposed 1.0 liter, to be used to drive a generator only.
It would be fueled by alcohol enhanced BioDiesel.
Only when needed, it would start up and recharge the Li-Ion battery pack.
Posted by: Lucas | 26 July 2006 at 12:20 PM
Clean emissions is particularly difficult on diesels when used in start/stop operations like listed above because their inherently lower exhaust gas temperatures mean more smog-forming emissions when the catalyst is below operating temperature. It's a tough battle between smog emissions and GHG emissions. Die locally of asthema illnesses, or die globally from potential global warming?
Posted by: Sid Hoffman | 26 July 2006 at 01:52 PM
I imagine this will be the engine used with the Nissan HD Titan. I know they were looking into cummins to power the Titan, and I think will probably be the engine that does it.
Posted by: Mike | 26 July 2006 at 04:04 PM
I believe that Dodge uses Cummins Diesels in some of its pick-ups.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz | 26 July 2006 at 05:12 PM
The Titan sounds like it is going with Navistar. The big Cummins plant is in Columbus IN. Honda is moving to Greensburg-20 mins. away. Poss. a connection!
Posted by: Chris Mosburg | 26 July 2006 at 05:40 PM
Chrysler would be smart to use the V6 for the LX platform (Magnum, Charger, 300). Many here in deepest Alabama would pay a premium to own a diesel car that's not a Volkswagen or a heavy duty truck.
Posted by: John Ard | 27 July 2006 at 05:57 AM
As to diesel engines' NOX and particulate problems, is it possible to strip N2 out of the intake gas? You may have to compensate with recirculaated gas, but it may enable hotter and cleaner operation.
Posted by: allen Z | 27 July 2006 at 07:01 AM
allen Z, it is *possible* to strip the N2 out of the atmosphere coming in but not cost effective nor practical by any means.
Posted by: Patrick | 27 July 2006 at 08:27 AM
John Ard - in europe you can get the Chrysler 300 with a 3.0 merc v6 diesel. I'm thinking about getting one for me next car.
Posted by: James | 27 July 2006 at 08:33 AM
Darn you Europeans! :)
Posted by: John Ard | 27 July 2006 at 09:33 AM
Is there a chance this engine will be utilized by Ford? I know Ford is developing their own diesels in England to be used here eventually, but might they also be teaming up with Cummings for the sheer volume needed for future demand and to have greater product flexibility? One thing for sure, Ford wants to get away from international permanently.
Posted by: John | 27 July 2006 at 05:43 PM
Why even bother wit this? Haveya been next to a Sprinter idling? 5cyls rule.
Posted by: fred | 28 July 2006 at 03:07 AM
why you would tool up, in this day and age, to build a motor that has no system to produce power from its waste heat is beyond me.
Posted by: paul | 28 July 2006 at 08:04 PM
Need infos on biodiesel buses and trucks
Posted by: Leon Danchet | 30 July 2006 at 10:43 PM
My 2004 Dodge 2500 is a Cummins Diesel, averages 20mpg while often towing a horse trailer, and I have only ever used Biodiesel in it. I now have 18k miles on it in two years with zero problems. All biodiesel courtesy of Biofueloasis.com in berkeley, ca. [other car is a 2000 honda insight]
Posted by: rob | 31 July 2006 at 02:36 PM
Come on! dodge chrysler is hooked up with Mercedes benze right? There fore why not pay your sister company or yourself to develop diesel engines like the ones in Mercedes NoW...for dodge chyrsler cars and trucks...they can in house everything instead of outsourcing. Cummins and dodge will not be a synonym in the near future. Maybe that honda plant 20 miles away is using cummins plant in INDIANA in a strategic way.huh.....
Posted by: benner39 | 02 August 2006 at 08:28 PM
Honda will not need Cummins.
Honda is already in a "Technology Exchange" with GM for a diesel engine from the Isuzu. The deal is: GM gets to use Honda's 3.5 L V6 engine and tranny for the Saturn Vue Red-line and Honda gets to use the Isuzu diesel engine for future vehicles and rights to use On-Star in future vehicles.
Posted by: Sven | 08 August 2006 at 07:48 AM
what we ultimatley need is a 1.5L diesel with some form of Mercedes BluTec which will cut the emmisions, and to further extend that. use the heat waste and pressure from the exhasst to push a low resistant generator, whilst having the the motor itself power the electric motor. and for the problem of heat at start up use the electric batteries to heat up the catylst and motor
this would be running on electric about 75% of the time and using the efficent diesel to charge the batteries
75-80MPG right there
Posted by: ian | 13 August 2006 at 06:48 AM
There are more effective and practical solutions to the problem, than there is willingness to think forward on the part of the auto companies. They have a vested interest in NOT changing. They think green means money, not environment. What incentive can we give the auto companies' boards to change their priorities?
Posted by: Rich Easton | 15 August 2006 at 12:33 AM
if somebody has more info from largest vehicle , around 9 tons GVW, please contat with me. I strongly interested over Hybrid drive system.
Posted by: tvarga | 19 August 2006 at 02:48 AM
If Cummins was asking me, I'd be developing a high rpm 4.0L Diesel V8 platform, with MDS (Multiple Displacement Technology) for high end automotive and low end truck/SUV applications.
A 4.0L diesel V8 could spin well over 4,000 RPM for the high end automotive-sports car set, could easily generate 450 Ft Lbs of torque for the 1/2 ton pickup and SUV crowd, and with Hemi-like MDS, ought to be able to shut off 4 cylinders of fuel when not needed and get well over 30 MPG when cruising. And I ask you, who would not want to buy such a vehicle? Gene
Posted by: Gene Climer | 29 August 2006 at 10:40 AM
Cummins once made a 3.9 liter diesel using the same architecture as the 5.9 liter Dodge Ram engine. Why not use the same components and eliminate a lot of development cost?
This engine would be rated at about 200 HP and could power a 1/2 ton pickup and get 25/30 MPG with the right gearing and a few aerodynamic tweaks.
Posted by: Mike Thayer | 29 August 2006 at 01:31 PM