Tenneco is putting its 100-plus years of powertrain expertise in improving vehicle fuel efficiency and reducing emissions to work to explore synthetic fuels (e-fuels) as a viable near-term solution to further maximize the efficiency and minimize the carbon footprint of internal combustion engines (ICE). Tenneco’s Powertrain business group is partnering... Read more →

Rolls-Royce Power Systems has outlined its road map for climate neutrality: Net Zero@Power Systems. By 2030, the Rolls-Royce business unit is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 35% compared to its 2019 level through the use of new net zero and zero carbon technologies. This near-term target plays a significant... Read more →

Chevron USA, through its Chevron Products Company division, and Cummins announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore a strategic alliance to develop commercially viable business opportunities in hydrogen and other alternative energy sources. The MOU provides the framework for Chevron and Cummins to collaborate on four main objectives initially:... Read more →

Cummins has begun testing a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine. The proof-of-concept test is building on Cummins’ existing technology leadership in gaseous-fuel applications and powertrains. Cummins is thrilled about the potential of the hydrogen engine to reduce emissions and provide power and performance for customers. We are using all new engine... Read more →

The pistons unit of the technology group Rheinmetall expects to win a significant order for piston systems from a major international automaker. A letter of intent on the development and production of customized aluminum pistons has been signed with a well-known carmaker; together with the piston ring and piston pin,... Read more →

Volvo Cars and its parent company Geely Holding will create a joint venture under the name Aurobay for its powertrain operations, as the companies proceed with their earlier announced plans to merge these into a new, stand-alone business. The new company will be a global supplier of complete powertrain solutions... Read more →

Brazil-based TUPY, a specialist of casting and machining of highly engineered structural components; Westport Fuel Systems; AVL List GmbH are collaborating to develop a highly efficient hydrogen (H2) internal combustion engine (ICE) for heavy goods transportation. The direct collaboration aims at combining advanced material and casting technologies with the latest... Read more →

Kia has presented the fifth-generation Kia Sportage SUV. Developed on a new architecture, the all-new Sportage will offer gasoline and diesel powertrains at market launch later this year, followed by hybrid-electric (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) models. The new Sportage debuts numerous technologies, including Kia’s E-Handling system that enhances... Read more →

Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a graphene oxide (GO)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aerogel (GPA) weighing just 2.1 kg m-3—making it the lightest sound insulation ever manufactured. Over the 400–2500 Hz range, the reported average sound absorption coefficients are as high as 0.79, while the average sound transmission losses... Read more →

A consortium of Clean Air Power and Freightliner has secured almost £0.4 million (US$0.55 million) of government funding to develop a biogas and hydrogen dual-fuel solution for the Class 66 locomotive. The technology is one of the 30 winners of the latest round of the First of a Kind (FOAK)... Read more →

Proman has finalized an agreement to build two additional 49,900 dwt methanol dual-fuel MR tankers, bringing its total investment in methanol-powered vessels to six newbuildings. Proman will be the sole owner of the Provident and Progressive, alongside the Promise which is due to be delivered in Q3 2022. These vessels... Read more →

Cummins Inc. and Rush Enterprises, Inc. signed a Letter of Intent for Cummins to acquire a 50% equity interest in Momentum Fuel Technologies from Rush Enterprises. Momentum Fuel Technologies delivers the industry’s first complete compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel system solution for Class 6-8 vehicles. A division of Rush Enterprises,... Read more →

Tula Technology, Inc., a leader in propulsion efficiency, will release the findings of a recent simulation study to evaluate the efficacy of its newest technology at the FEV Powertrain Conference. The study validated that Tula’s Dynamic Skip Fire (DSF) developed for mild-hybrid diesel vehicles reduced CO2 emissions in a 2.3... Read more →

The Port of Antwerp is converting a tug to methanol propulsion. The ‘methatug’ is part of the European Union-funded Fastwater project, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of methanol as a sustainable marine fuel. The European Commission approved the project this week. Rhine-based inland navigation craft must comply with the... Read more →

The technology group Wärtsilä has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Global Energy Ventures (GEV) of Australia, a company specialized in delivering compressed shipping solutions for transporting energy to regional markets. The two companies will cooperate on the inclusion of Wärtsilä propulsion systems in GEV’s compressed hydrogen (C-H2) ships.... Read more →

As part of its strategic realignment, Audi is accelerating the transition to e-mobility. The manufacturer will be gradually phasing out the production of internal combustion engines until 2033. Production of Audi’s final completely newly developed combustion engine model will start in just four years. Beginning in 2026, the brand will... Read more →

ClearFlame Engine Technologies, a growing startup dedicated to the development of clean engine technology (earlier post), secured $2.5 million in additional financing from several investors, including the Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Illinois Corn Growers Associations. The new funding will help ClearFlame deploy pilot Class 8 trucks with its patented technology.... Read more →

GE Aviation and Safran launched a technology development program targeting more than 20% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to today’s engines. The CFM RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) program will demonstrate and mature a range of new, disruptive technologies for future engines that could enter service by... Read more →

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory, with colleagues from Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge, and National Renewable Energy labs, and the University of Tennessee, have published a comprehensive analysis of the total cost of ownership (TCO) for 12 sizes of vehicles ranging from compact sedans up to Class 8 tractors with sleeper... Read more →

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Florida International University have demonstrated the first real-time measurement—using lab-based methods—of free radical particles reacting under cosmic conditions, prompting elementary carbon and hydrogen atoms to coalesce into primal benzene rings. The researchers say that their... Read more →

CMB.TECH has opened the first multimodal hydrogen refueling station in Antwerp, Belgium. It is the first refueling station to produce green hydrogen which will be used to power ships, tube trailers, cars, trucks and buses. In addition to the hydrogen refueling station, CMB.TECH launched a hydrogen truck with the symbolic... Read more →

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners earlier this month approved changes centered around incorporating the international Environmental Ship Index (ESI) into the Port’s Green Ship Incentive Program, which began in 2012. A voluntary system, the ESI identifies seagoing ships exceeding the current emission standards of the International Maritime Organization.... Read more →

UK-based ULEMCo signed an exclusive MoU with ENGV Pty Ltd to collaborate on developing a market for its hydrogen dual fuel technology in Australia. The scope of the agreement extends across Australia and into commercial vehicles, particularly heavy-duty applications like refuse collection, urban trucks, buses and prime movers. By using... Read more →

Israel-based Aquarius Engines unveiled a hydrogen-fueled version of its free-piston linear engine new hydrogen engine. The 10kg machine, based on the same technology as the original patented single-piston linear engine, operates exclusively on hydrogen. The new Aquarius Hydrogen Engine’s lightweight design and unique internal-gas-exchange-method would greatly reduce emissions and lower... Read more →

Startup ClearFlame Engine Technologies announced a partnership with Alto Ingredients, a leading producer of specialty alcohols and essential ingredients, to conduct pilot demonstrations of ClearFlame’s solution for diesel engines using low-cost ethanol in Class 8 trucks. ClearFlame will provide Alto with a Class VIII truck retrofitted with a 500hp heavy-duty... Read more →

Researchers from the University of Central Florida and the US Naval Research Laboratory have discovered an experimental configuration and flow conditions that generate a stabilized oblique detonation—a phenomenon that has the potential to revolutionize high-speed propulsion of the future. An open-access paper on their work is published in Proceedings of... Read more →

DARPA recently awarded contracts for the first phase of the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program. The goal of the DRACO program is to demonstrate a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system above low Earth orbit in 2025. The three prime contractors are General Atomics, Blue Origin, and Lockheed... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) selected four projects totaling $1 million to conduct advanced applied research and development concerning the interaction between promising biofuels and combustion engines. The projects will leverage a range of National Laboratory capabilities as part of the Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, and... Read more →

Rolls-Royce has officially unveiled the Pearl 10X, the third and most powerful member of its market-leading Pearl engine family for the business aviation market. The engine has been optimized to power exclusively Dassault’s new flagship aircraft, the Falcon 10X, which was revealed during a digital ceremony at Le Bourget airport... Read more →

A report released this week highlights the most significant breakthroughs of the last year in the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, with details on findings that could translate into significant greenhouse gas (GHG) and tailpipe emissions reductions. Co-Optima researchers are focused on identifying... Read more →

Cummins Inc. announced that the latest B6.7 Performance Series engine in Europe—used in agriculture, mining and construction applications—not only meets EU Stage V, delivering near-zero emission levels of NOx and PM, but it also features stop-start capability which can help operators further reduce running costs, as well as their environmental... Read more →

Argonne National Laboratory is helping Caterpillar improve efficiency and reduce emissions in their heavy-duty diesel engines. Heavy-duty diesel engines still power most large vehicles used in the construction, mining and transportation industries in the United States. Engineers are working to improve the fuel efficiency of these engines while minimizing pollution... Read more →

Ricardo has developed a hydrogen-fueled research engine which could offer a renewable, economic and durable technology solution to accelerate zero-carbon emissions in heavy duty trucks, off-highway machines and marine vessels. Ricardo will be testing the prototype at the engine development facility at the University of Brighton—the company’s long-term combustion engine... Read more →

Plus (formerly Plus.ai), a leading company in self-driving truck technology, announced a new initiative with global engine manufacturer Cummins to develop the industry’s first driver-in, supervised autonomous trucks powered by natural gas. The compressed natural gas engines provided by Cummins have been certified to near-zero emissions, reducing smog-forming emissions by... Read more →

For the past six years, Argonne researchers have collaborated with Cummins, an engine design and manufacturing company, and software developer Convergent Science, Inc., to create predictive engine simulations using the laboratory’s high-performance computing tools. Now, they’re extending their partnership for three more years, and adding new collaborators and capabilities to... Read more →

The technology group Wärtsilä is participating in a consortium of Finnish research organisations and leading companies researching means for developing radical new solutions for clean and efficient marine and off-road transport. The project is expected to run until spring 2023, and has been granted funding of €7.9 million by Business... Read more →

Toyota Motor Corporation is developing a hydrogen combustion engine in an effort to move toward a carbon-neutral mobility society. It has installed the engine—a 1.6L in-line three-cylinder turbo with intercooler—on a racing vehicle based on Toyota’s Corolla Hatchback, which it will enter in competition under the ORC ROOKIE Racing banner.... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will convert 200 new Ford F-250 service pickup trucks to run on renewable natural gas (RNG). The service trucks will be outfitted with the newest Landi Renzo Eco Ready equipment, a California Air Resource Board (CARB)-certified ultra-low emissions vehicle system. Equipping these 200 service vehicles... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced two funding opportunities totaling more than $162 million to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions among cars, trucks, and off-road vehicles. The funding will support the next stage of the SuperTruck initiatives—aimed at electrifying freight trucking—along with efforts to expand electric vehicle (EV)... Read more →

UK-based Aeristech, a developer of high-speed electric motor and controller technology (earlier post), closed a £5.15-million (US$7-million) private funding round led by investors Sabien Technology, Vela Technologies and SAIC Venture Capital, the venture capital arm of China-based automaker SAIC Motor. The funding round will supercharge the company’s investment in its... Read more →

Hyundai’s 2022 Tucson, with its all-new design, will begin arriving in the US market this spring (gasoline and hybrid models), with plug-in models available in summer 2021. The new 2022 Tucson internal combustion models will be produced at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) and Ulsan, Korea. The new Tucson for... Read more →

Cummins Inc. and Tula Technology, Inc., a leader in propulsion efficiency, announced at SAE International’s WCX the results of their collaborative study on the effectiveness of Tula’s diesel Dynamic Skip Fire (dDSF) in reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on a Cummins X15 HD Efficiency Series diesel... Read more →

MAN Energy Solutions has begun the ‘AmmoniaMot’ project. Initiated by MAN with partners from industry and research institutes, it aims to define the steps necessary to produce a dual-fuel, medium-speed engine capable of running on diesel-fuel and ammonia. Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), and... Read more →

ARPA-E announced up to $35 million for a new program focused on developing technologies to reduce methane emissions in the oil, gas, and coal industries: “Reducing Emissions of Methane Every Day of the Year” (REMEDY) (DE-FOA-0002504). The REMEDY program seeks highly replicable system-level technical solutions that achieve an overall methane... Read more →

A team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has achieved diesel-like efficiency in a single-cylinder spark-ignition (SI) research engine while maintaining compatibility with stoichiometric 3-way catalyst (TWC) systems. A paper on their work is published in the International Journal of Engine Research. The ORNL team conducted engine experiments with both... Read more →

Rolls-Royce has officially started building the world’s largest aero-engine, UltraFan. Work on the first module is underway at the DemoWorks facility in Derby, UK, and the demonstrator engine, which has a fan diameter of 140 inches, will be completed by the end of the year. Artist’s impression of the UltraFan... Read more →

California Assemblymembers Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) and Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) introduced legislation to phase out the sale of new gas-powered small off-road engines (SORE), which are primarily used in lawn and garden equipment, including leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and other outdoor power equipment. AB 1346 would require new sales... Read more →

Libertine FPE, the creator of Smart Engine control technology for free piston engine (FPE) generators, has secured £2.6 million (US$3.6 million) in Innovate UK funding to advance development of its range-extender concept for heavy-duty applications. Libertine says that free-piston range-extender engines can offer the efficiency of fuel cells, the durability... Read more →

The technology group Rheinmetall AG has won a follow-up order from a well-known German carmaker to produce aluminum engine blocks with a total value of more than €100 million. Full-scale production is planned to begin in 2023. The lifetime of the contract extends beyond 2030. Rheinmetall has been supplying the... Read more →

The flagship project MethanQuest was launched in September 2018, and on it a total of 29 partners from research, industry and the energy sector have come together to work on processes for producing hydrogen and methane from renewables and for using them to achieve climate-neutral mobility and power generation. The... Read more →