Cummins has developed an engine and powertrain that it says reduces CO2 emissions by as much as 80 percent compared with a baseline gasoline-powered medium-duty truck.
The work was jointly funded by Cummins in partnership with the California Energy Commission (CEC).
More than 1,000 miles and 1,500 hours have been accumulated on the Ethos 2.8L engine over the past two-and-a-half years. Cummins says this demonstrates that this technology is capable of far exceeding the 50 percent CO2 emissions reductions outlined in the project’s goals.
A final on-road validation testing phase has been underway in the Sacramento, Calif., area since June and continuing into this month, and is being managed by Cummins Pacific, the exclusive California and Hawaii distributor for Cummins.
The Cummins Ethos 2.8L is designed specifically to use E-85, a clean-burning blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The engine operates at diesel-like cylinder pressures and incorporates advanced spark-ignition technology. It delivers the power (up to 250 hp) and peak torque (up to 450 lb-ft) of gasoline and diesel engines nearly twice its 2.8-liter displacement, the company says.
The Cummins Ethos 2.8L engine also incorporates an integrated stop-start system, which further reduces fuel consumption and emissions. In stop-start mode, the engine shuts down after the vehicle comes to a complete stop and the brake pedal remains depressed. As the driver’s foot is lifted from the brake, the system automatically starts the engine to seamlessly allow acceleration from the stop.
Earlier this year, the Energy Department displayed an 18-wheeler truck, developed by Cummins and Peterbilt, that is meant to exceed baseline energy use by 50 percent by 2015. The SuperTruck has demonstrated a 20 percent increase in engine efficiency and a 70 percent increase in freight efficiency, reaching over 10 miles per gallon under real world driving conditions on a Class 8 tractor-trailer, the DOE says. In comparison, an average Class 8 truck typically gets 5.8 miles to the gallon.