Cummins announced that it has demonstrated an ISX heavy-duty truck engine with an increased brake thermal efficiency of 45 percent that nevertheless limits emissions to 2007 levels.
Current heavy-duty engines typically achieve a BTE of 41 percent. BTE is the amount of energy converted from diesel fuel into useful mechanical work. Increasing BTE creates more efficient machines with fewer emissions and better fuel economy.
“We are moving ahead to achieve an even higher 50 percent BTE target,” said Christine Vujovich, Cummins vice president for marketing and environmental policy.
Cummins is working with the U.S. Department of Energy to create the designs as part of the 21st Century Truck Partnership formed in 2001, its goal to reduce emissions tenfold while substantially increasing engine efficiency.
“Cummins has successfully demonstrated that the heavy-duty engine has the potential for even higher levels of efficiency while still meeting stringent emissions requirements,” said Edward Wall of the Department of Energy. “Looking ahead, this offers the opportunity for our trucks and buses to reduce fuel consumption and help reduce the nation’s dependency on imported oil.”
