Powertrain | Diesel International 2022-05

POWERTRAIN 

SMALL BIG 

winner 

Kohler wins Diesel of the Year for the third time - Scania 

Super puts ICE back in the lead on the road - Cat and CHP - 

Cummins acquisitions summary - Interview with Allison 

VADO E TORNO EDIZIONI 

www.vadoetorno.com 

www.diesel-international.com 

www.dieseloftheyear.com 

ISSN 0042 

Press Register n. 4596 – April 20th 1994 

Poste Italiane Inc. – Mail subscription 

D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

Art. 1, subsection 1, LO/MI 

DIESEL SUPPLEMENT 

May 2022

POWER TO 

MAXIMIZE 

PRODUCTIVITY 

Offering more power with less complexity and less weight. 

This engine delivers the productivity you need to keep your 

equipment running. Proven in a wide range of industrial 

applications, its power increases to 326 hp / 243 kW 

enabling replacement of engines with higher 

displacement with no impact on productivity. 

To see how Cummins B6.7 sets the 

bar for performance go to: 

cummins.tech/powertraindieselmay2022 

POWERTRAIN 

MAY 2022 

16 

GENERIC 

ICE 

H2 HYDROGEN 

kWe ELECTRIC 

GAS 

FIND DIESEL INTERNATIONAL ON: 

diesel-international.com 

DIESEL OF THE YEAR 

10. KOHLER KSD 1403TCA 

The smallest of the award-winning engines 

AUTOMOTIVE 

14. 2035? 

BMW, Toyota, Stellantis (and Ford) 

16. SCANIA 

Super engine, Super efficiency 

FOCUS 

20. CATERPILLAR 

The CHP seen from America 

OFF-HIGHWAY 

24. HONDA 

e-GX and MPP 

34. AEM 

EVs in US construction 

36. EVE 

Electric Vehicle Experience 

POWER GENERATION 

26. CUMMINS 

The acquisitions summary 

CONTENTS 

COMPARISONS 

30. 1.1-1.5 LITERS 

Cat, Hatz, Kohler, Kubota, Perkins, Yanmar 

26 

40 

TECHNO 

38. FPT INDUSTRIAL 

E-axles 

40. ALLISON 

Interview 

44. BORGWARNER 

A large scale strategy 

46. UFI FILTERS 

Hydrogen 

COLUMNS 

4. Editorial 6. Newsroom 48. Sustainable Techno 

Zero-emission commercial vehicles 

On Monday, 13 th June, 2022, 3 PM CET, 

POWERTRAIN will talk about e-axles together with 

Allison, Brist, EVE, Meritor, Volta Trucks and ZF 

©2022 Cummins Inc. 

3

EDITORIAL 

by Fabio Butturi 

E-AXLES: A WEB EVENT 

commercial vehicles. Is 

e-axle the leading solution for powertrain 

efficiency?” Are electric axles the best 

solution for accelerated electrification 

“Zero-Emission 

of trucks and LCVs? And what about 

repowering? However, is the layout based on e-axles the 

only viable solution to increase the vehicle efficiency and 

maximize performances? Which are the alternatives and 

the main challenges? This is the format of the event that 

will take place on Monday 13 June at 5 pm CES time on 

the POWERTRAIN and Sustainable Truck and Van online 

media channels. The market of electric trucks is getting 

increasingly bigger and definitely lively in the latest 

years. Both traditional manufacturers and newcomers 

are filling their portfolios with new full electric truck 

models, and some of them are already being produced. As 

a consequence, potential customers are getting more and 

more interested in zero-emission solutions for their fleets. 

Talking about powertrain design, electric trucks ensure 

a higher degree of freedom, especially when it comes to 

supplying power to the wheels. As the traditional layout 

based on an internal combustion engine, transmission 

and axles is not there anymore, the options are manifold. 

E-axles, then with the motor placed closer to the wheels, 

are in most cases the more appreciated option, and some 

new players are entering the truck market, indeed. 

However, a layout based on e-axles is the only viable 

solution to increase the vehicle efficiency and maximize 

performances? Which are the main challenges to deal with 

when talking about electrified axles? 

During the web event, we’ll go deeper into the subject by 

involving primary engineering companies, OEMs, as well 

as e-axle manufacturers on an international scale. They will 

provide their own point of view, answer our questions – as 

well as the questions coming from the audience – and will 

help us imagine the future of powertrain design for heavyduty 

transport. In the traditional powertrain, where the diesel 

engine rules, the axle is as essential as it is out of sight. 

How it might develop and what role it might play in the 

architecture of electrified commercial vehicles, we will ask 

our representatives. Allison, Brist, EVE, Meritor, Ricardo, 

Volta Trucks and ZF will certainly be among them. 

POWERKIT 

HIGH HORSEPOWER 

Baudouin PowerKit is THE SOLUTION OF CHOICE for emergency standby 

and prime power applications delivering market leading reliability, 

superior power quality and excellent total cost of ownership 

Comprehensive 

product line to meet 

a wide range of ESP 

and PRP applications 

Robust and 

reliable for 

secure power 

provision 

Dual starter options 

for increased 

redundancy 

High transient 

and block load 

capabilities 

ESP, PRP & COP Power Solutions 18 - 4125 kVA 

Market leading 

warranty: 

2 years, unlimited 

working hours 

4 

Durable. Robust. Built To Last.

NEWSROOM 

#CUMMINS 

CUMMINS RESULTS&OUTLOOK 

Other trends for Cummins 

in 2022? The global 

emissions movement, the 

supply chain continuity, 

destination zero (with 

diesel for off-highway 

staying around for many 

years to come) and 

powertrain expansion 

6 

BETTER 

AND 

BETTER 

According to Eric Neal, Executive 

Director, Cummins 

Off-Highway Business, “It 

was a phenomenal year, more 

in the international markets (+27%) 

than North America (+17%) but 

equally distributed across all markets, 

whether that be on-highway or 

off-highway. Revenues for the full year 

were $24 billion, 21 percent higher 

than 2020. Unfortunately, we did not 

have the same trend on profitability 

side: most of that comes as a result of 

the supply chain constraints, elevated 

logistical costs and other material 

cost increases. In terms of Cummins’ 

commitment to the future, we are 

spending over a billion dollars a year 

on R&D and that spending rate does 

not have any plans of coming down. 

In the engine business, which is our 

largest business (that’s about 20% of 

the total Cummins portfolio), we saw 

an increase of 4% ($2.4 billion) versus 

the fourth quarter of the previous 

year, but in the full year revenue was 

$10 billion (+24%) in duty truck, medium-duty 

truck pick-up business, but 

then also we saw strong sales in our 

off-highway construction business 

(+10%, $1.9 billion). Our JVs had a 

strong year from a growth perspective 

in China and India.” He added 

that “We’ve had lots of labor disruptions 

depending on when the pandemics 

were hitting different parts of the 

world and the shortage of labor based 

on illnesses. We have seen lower-tier 

suppliers struggling with keeping up 

with some of the component delivery 

that we’ve got. A good portion of 

my job has shifted into supply chain 

management, which in typical years 

has never been case.” So, answering 

what the main bottlenecks were, Neal 

said that “probably in the on-highway 

and automotive industries chips 

have been the biggest shortage. Most 

of the chips are produced out of Asia 

because of some limited Tier 2, Tier 

3 suppliers that support different 

components within the chip manufacturing 

that has sort of halted a lot 

of different segments. We call those 

electronic control modules (ECM). 

Sensors have also been a problem. We 

talked to all our customers, especially 

on the on-highway side, who also 

buy the same chips. Chips are used in 

cell phones, televisions, other electronic, 

so it’s not just specific to diesel 

engine industry. It’s a global shortage 

on electronic control chips that 

support various technologies, diesel 

engines included.” Finally, some 

forecasts about 2022. “It’s going to be 

another good year for off-highway: 

we are forecasting a 6% up on 2021, 

but it’s also depending on what the US 

do with the sanctions against Russia. 

That might reopen some oil and gas 

segments, which is always good for 

North American construction markets. 

There is also an investment in infrastructure 

for the on-highway. I think 

the conflict in Russia is not going to 

have a major impact on Cummins”. 

KOHLER 

KSD 

1403TCA 

www.diesel-international.com

NEWSROOM 

#DEUTZ #HITACHIENERGY #ROLLSROYCEPOWERSYSTEMS #IVECOGROUP 

POWERTRAIN 

INTERNATIONAL 

NEW PRESIDENT OF VOLVO PENTA NORTH AMERICA 

As of 15 May, Fredrik Högberg has been appointed President of Volvo Penta North America. “I am happy 

that Fredrik Högberg has decided to join the Volvo Penta team. Fredrik has an extensive experience as a 

leader in the Volvo Group, and he has successfully been driving big transformation programs with people 

and customers in focus. This will be especially useful for the Volvo Penta transformation journey and our 

ambition to grow the business in North America”, says Heléne Mellquist, President of Volvo Penta. Högberg 

joined the Volvo Group in 1994 and has held a broad range of leading positions within the Volvo Group, 

including areas such as digital services, retail development, and aftermarket sales. He currently holds the 

position of Senior Vice President Services, Solutions, Digital & IT for Mack and Volvo Trucks North America. 

POWERTRAIN 

INTERNATIONAL 

POWERTRAI 

INTERNATIONAL 

REPOWER 

EUROPE 

BIOMETHANE 

PRODUCTION CAPACITY 

UP TO 35 BCM 

REPower EU is the name of 

the ambitious plan presented 

by the European Commission 

with the aim of focusing heavily 

on biomethane to reduce dependence 

on Russian gas. An issue that 

has dramatically shown its urgent 

character in the last few weeks after 

the start of hostilities in Ukraine. The 

plan presented by the Commission 

provides for an increase in biomethane 

production capacity up to 35 

billion cubic meters (bcm) by 2030 

within the European Union. The goal 

will be to replace 20 percent of Russian 

natural gas imports with a sustainable, 

cheaper and locally produced 

alternative. Biomethane also helps reduce 

exposure to the volatility of food 

prices because the fertilizer derived 

from digestate is a co-product of biomethane 

production and currently replaces 

expensive chemical fertilizers. 

Today the European Union produces 

3 bcm of biomethane. A scale-up to 

35 bcm requires, in fact, the mobilization 

of sustainable biomass raw 

materials, mainly waste and residues, 

plus the construction of about 5,000 

new biomethane plants. The consortium 

says that “from a technical point 

of view, all of this is achievable in 

the next eight years, and is also economically 

advantageous. About 80 

billion euros of capital investments 

are needed, European money spent 

in our internal economy. This allows 

us to produce biomethane at a much 

lower cost than the price of natural 

gas in recent months. In addition to 

building new integrated biogas-biomethane 

plants, methanation units 

could also be added, at low cost, to 

existing biogas plants. We also ask 

for a rapid commercialization of gasification 

technology, which allows 

the production of biomethane from 

wood residues”. 

DANA INC. LEED 

Dana has received 

Leadership in Energy and 

Environmental Design 

(LEED) certification for its 

Sustainable Mobility Center, 

located in Maumee, Ohio, 

US. Dana’s state-of-the-art 

Sustainable Mobility Center 

serves as an engineering 

center of excellence for 

e-propulsion products, 

including the development 

of electric motors and 

upfitting of electric vehicles 

with complete e-propulsion 

systems. 

HYBRID 

MAN 

POWERTRAIN 

MAN Smart Hybrid Experience - Stage V: AGCO Power, 

Cummins and AS - Comparison: 170HP - Fish-Eye: asking 

Fincantieri Yachts - Sustainabilty by MTU, WRF, Earth300 

IFUTURE 

is now 

Isotta Fraschini Motori 16V170 G Engine Road Show - 

Comparison: 1.5 liters industrial engines - Fish-Eye: hybrid 

BAUDOUIN 

Huddig backhoe, with Cummins - Marine: Cannes and Genoa 

20M33 

Face to face with Baudouin - FPT Smart Hybrid Energy Hub - 

Bergen & Langley - Green AG in USA - Alternative Cummins - 

Comparison: 13 litre truck - Cat IPU & Perkins IOPU - UFI Filters 

POWERTRAIN 

NEW AGCO 

era 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



September 2021 

Diesel of the year 2021: John Deere 18.0L - AGCO Power: 100 

million euro to relaunch Linnavuori - Kohler: All about 

the engines division - Sustainability: e-SUV & more 





ISSN 0042 

ELECTRIC 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



Griffin 





ISSN 0042 

November 2021 

Kohler Small Displacement - Sustainable Cat - H2 for 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



March 2022 

freight & passengers - Web event: Is offroad multitasking? - 

Deutz between ICE and alternatives - Scania Power Solutions 






ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



July 2021 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



January 2022 

8


#KOHLERENGINES #KSD #DIESELOFTHEYEAR 

KOHLER KSD 1403TCA 

IT 

IS THE 

SMALLER 

KOHLER KDI 2504TCR: DOTY 2012 

Once upon a time (Intermat Paris 2012). The KDI 2504TCR 

won the DOTY 2012 because it was able to accomplish the 

Tier 4 Final/Stage IIIB in an original way. The Kohler-designed 

4-cylinder engine does not require a DPF, which has undoubted 

advantages in terms of space requirements and fuel and oil 

consumption, while also ensuring longer service intervals. 

When it comes to cleaning the gases, the recirculation 

system and catalytic converter come into their own, the latter 

being available in two different versions to meet the specific 

installation requirements of OEMs. The focal point of this 

project is the injection system, entrusted to common rail for 

the first time on a Kohler industrial engine. It is available in 

the Denso 2,000 bar version which, thanks to pre- and postinjection, 

allows the fuel to be dosed to the millimetre, keeping 

fuel consumption at bay. Fuel consumption is 5 percent lower 

than that of a 1,600 bar electronic injection engine with 

DPF and 10 percent lower than that of an indirect injection 

engine with stand-alone DPF. The choice of a fixed geometry 

turbocharger and a distribution system made up of a train 

of gears, which do not require maintenance or replacement, 

should be read in the vein of robustness and reliability. 

KSD Series is currently made of three engine models: KSD 1403NA (naturally 

aspirated); KSD 1403TC (turbocharged); KSD 1403TCA (turbocharged with 

aftercooler). 

Kohler Engines was awarded 

Diesel of the Year for the third 

time, with the KSD 1403TCA, 

the smallest engine ever to win 

this prize. It should be noted that the 

award’s guiding star is the gradient of 

innovation, in all its many nuances, 

and that the privileged factor is the 

engine block conceived from a blank 

sheet. All the more so in a contest of 

stigmatisation of the internal combustion 

engine. 

All credit, then, to Kohler, which 

completes the range downwards: 1.4 

- 1.9 - 2.5 and 3.4 litres. “Do you want 

a first hint to help you understand 

why we are here?” said Fabio Butturi, 

POWERTRAIN and DIESEL magazines 

editor. “Here” means the Kohler 

Engines museum, where the award 

ceremony took place, which is also 

available on a short video. “Remember 

recent prophecies about ICE’s premature 

burial? We are here to prove 

they’re wrong and diesel still has a 

long future in front. The KSD Series 

is a demonstration of this. The most 

Kohler wins Diesel of 

the Year for the third 

time in ten years with 

KSD, the smallest 

engine ever to receive 

this award. Electronic 

control and power 

rating under 19 kW, 

with 120 Nm, to avoid 

after-treatment system 

intimate reason for the DOTY 2022 is 

precisely in the daring to have invested 

in such an engine platform, when 

diesel technology has been banished 

by some self-righteous Cassandras. 

What’s more, engine displacements 

below 2 litres and power ratings below 

19 kilowatts are the most exposed 

to the siren song of electrification, 

especially on the construction sites. 

A strategic segment, which competitors 

also believes in as demonstrated 

by the excellent design of the Kubota 

D902K. 

The KSD allows the implementation 

of the Kohler Diesel engines platform, 

which started with the KDI and 

which, we sincerely believe, is not 

over yet; Kohler has brought its portfolio 

to the global stage of the third 

millennium with targeted and massive 

investments, of which the Diesel of 

the Year 2022 winner is just one of the 

many examples. 

The KSD 1403TCA peak torque is 

120 Nm @ 1400 rpm, a displacement/ 

torque ratio competitive with engines 

with the same displacement but power 

outputs, however, of between 30 and 

40 kilowatts. Let’s not neglect market 

inputs, the driver of emission standards 

and the polar star of downsizing. 

So, let’s talk about common rail. The 

indirect injection system with electronic 

management allows the recovery 

of an old friend of the Non Road 

Mobile Machinery, the prechamber, 

and provides an alternative solution 

to increased injection pressures. This 

means, among other things, less stress, 

lower consumption than traditional 

prechamber engines and greater reliability 

due to electronic control. The 

Diesel of the Year jury also appreciated 

the engine’s versatility and elasticity 

of features and configurations to 

simplify installation by OEMs. What 

else should I add?”. 

During the award ceremony, we concluded 

our speech with these words. 

Vincenzo Perrone, President of 

Kohler Engines, had more to say. 

“Thank you Mr Butturi. It’s always a 

pleasure and even more so when receiving 

this type of acknowledgment,” 

started Perrone. 

“We are enthusiastic and honored to 

receive this prestigious award now, 

for the third time in ten years. 

It is the demonstration of Kohler’s 

strong commitment to the business 

and continuous investment in new engines. 

As for the KSD, it really boils 

down to the three main characteristics 

of the engine: simple, yet advanced 

and versatile. It’s simple and can be 

easily customized to meet customers’ 

needs while being fully compatible 

with existing machines, not requiring 

them to be modified or redeveloped. 

It’s advanced, allowing for personalized 

settings of the electronic features 

for any duty cycle and the exchange 

of data with CANbus communication. 

Furthermore, it can be integrated 

with the complex electronic systems 

of ever-evolving machines. 

And last, but certainly not of least importance, 

one of its greatest features 

is its versatility and range of application. 

This is thanks to its compactness 

and wide range of options. 

To sum up, the KSD checks numerous 

boxes that until now had not been 

10 

11


#HYBRID #KHEM #KDI #OFFROAD #POWERGEN 

KOHLER KDI 3404TCR: DOTY 2015 

Once upon a time (Intermat Paris 2015). 

“Crossing the 56 kW threshold and finalizing the 

restyling of the range. Those 100 kilowatts (73 at 

maximum torque, corresponding to 500 Nm) at the top 

of the power curve are not just a psychological figure 

but a strategic factor for penetration into the liveliest 

sections of the off-road market. What is ‘meritorious’ 

about the SCR Kohler formula? Compactness and, 

above all, perspective. The first can be explained by 

the length of the module, which houses the DOC and 

accommodates the DPF. And this is where the second 

reason comes in. How can the word perspective be 

justified? If the absence of the DPF has been the ace 

up sleeve, in view of Stage V the filter necessarily 

comes back into play. And that’s exactly what we’re 

looking at: 2019/2020, when manufacturers will have 

to present the bill to the European Union. And by that 

time, Kohler’s recipe shouldn’t be much different. 

P.S.: In the form, in addition to the DOC, there is 

already space for the DPF”. 

est displacement engine to have won 

the DOTY. Compact engines are a 

candidate for a major role in the transition, 

within hybrid packages. Guido 

Franchi, Product Manager Diesel Engines 

at Kohler Engines EMEA, explains: 

“As for ‘green-tinted’ engines, 

we’ve already scheduled for 2023 a 

hybrid version of the K-HEM fitted 

Eima 

2006 

JOHN JOHN DEERE 

DEERE 

Ptp Ptp 6090 6090 

Eima 

2007 

CUMMINS 

CUMMINS 

B3.3 B3.3 

Samoter 

2008 

FPT FPT INDUSTRIAL 

INDUSTRIAL 

F 32 32 

checked by other engines and engine 

manufacturers. It provides worldwide 

application potential by meeting global 

emission norms and the list of benefits 

and advancements really does 

go on. All of what has been accomplished 

is thanks to the hard work our 

world-class global team. Words can’t 

express how proud I am of the collective 

efforts made by all our associates 

in making KSD a reality. It is through 

their dedication, perseverance and 

teamwork, not to mention expertise 

and collective know-how, that this 

project came to fruition and has been 

and will continue to be a great success. 

Thanks to our team and thank 

you Mr Butturi and the editorial team 

of Diesel and Powertrain magazine 

for this award”. 

We mentioned the KSD as the smallwith 

a KSD that will run on 100% 

HVO and other alternative low-carbon 

fuels. The same platform will 

feature spark-ignition versions. For 

heavy duty applications, we believe 

internal combustion engines are still 

the answer.” 

This power band takes on added significance. 

Answering to our question 

Intermat 

2009 

PERKINS 

PERKINS 

1206E-E70Tta 

1206E-E70Tta 

Bauma 

2010 

DEUTZ 

DEUTZ 

Tcd Tcd 2.9 2.9 L4 L4 

Samoter 

2011 

JCB 

JCB 

Ecomax Ecomax 

Intermat 

2012 

KOHLER 

KOHLER 

Kdi2504Tcr 

Kdi2504Tcr 

Bauma 

2013 

MTU 

MTU 

6R 6R 1500 1500 

Samoter 

2014 


INDUSTRIAL 

Cursor Cursor 16 16 

Intermat 

2015 

KOHLER 

KOHLER 

Kdi3404Tcr Kdi3404Tcr Scr Scr 

MAN 

MAN 

D3876 D3876 

Bauma 

2016 

Guido Franchi said: “Above 19 kW 

after-treatment is imperative. Some 

of our competitors’ strategy was to 

depower the existing engines, which 

took a toll on performance, especially 

regarding torque. We, instead, worked 

on real market needs, developing an 

innovative technology (this refers 

primarily to the injection system, editor’s 

note) which allowed us to set up 

an extremely compact platform – one 

of the features that has a strong appeal 

to installers”. 

A final statement about innovation. 

“The innovation lies in having created 

a common rail with direct injection, 

which provides benefits in terms of size 

and noise levels. To achieve this, we 

Samoter 

2017 

LIEBHERR 

LIEBHERR 

D9812 D9812 

DEUTZ 

DEUTZ 

Tcd9.0 Tcd9.0 

Intermat 

2018 

Bauma 

2019 

Munich 

KUBOTA 

KUBOTA 

V5009 V5009 

ConExpo 

2020 

Samoter 

worked on calibration and pre-chamber 

injections. As for injection, we 

tried to transfer a system that’s usually 

found on direct injection units onto 

a diesel engine with indirect injection 

– with several advantages: to begin 

with, a low-pressure rail that allows us 

to meet the needs of those user areas 

where fuel is of a cheaper quality”. 


INDUSTRIAL 

F28 F28 

2021 

JOHN DEERE 

18.0L 

2022 

KOHLER 

KOHLER 

KSD KSD 1403TCA 1403TCA 

12 

13

AUTOMOTIVE 

#TOYOTA #STELLANTIS #BMW #FORD 

BMW, STELLANTIS, TOYOTA 

2035 

0R NOT 

2035? 

FORD RANGER: WORLD BEST SELLING PICK-UP 

General Motors has been overtaken for the first time since 1931 by Toyota 

in the US sales in 2021. That is why Ford, a manufacturer that earned the 

title of World Best Selling Pick-Up 2021 thanks to its F series, has chosen 

to excel in 2022. Even in the European market, where the Ranger pick-up, 

younger brother of the F-150, is the market leader with over 45,000 units 

sold. And in order to increase the sales even more in the Old Continent, 

the MY 2022 not only provides a thorough restyling of the bodywork, but 

also of the interior, infotainment (the 20-inch central display is reminiscent 

of Teslas) and 4x4 transmission (there is also permanent four-wheel 

drive). The Next Generation Ranger despite the green wave will be available 

with three diesel engines: the well-known two-litre four-cylinder turbo 

(in two powersteps) and extraordinary 230 hp, 597 Nm turbodiesel that already 

powers the F-150. While Ford doesn’t want to unveil anything about 

the power and torque of the three engines, which are still undergoing type 

approval, pointing out that the engine was developed specifically for the 

Ranger and that more than 5 million kilometres were covered during the 

tests, fans have already gone wild on the web. With fuel prices nosing up, 

it’s hard to imagine driving a diesel-powered pick-up, so it’s worth pointing 

out the extreme innovation of the F-150 DOHC engine, with its castiron 

monobloc and aluminium cylinder head, which was awarded one of 

the 10 best engines on the market in 2019 by WardsAuto. 

Frank Weber, BMW Development head: “A plug-in hybrid 

makes a lot of ecological sense when it uses electric power 

for many of its trips. Our statistics confirm that.” 

The first shoulder push came 

about 18 months ago. In 

mid-December 2020, on the 

occasion of the Toyota Group’s 

end-of-year press conference, its CEO 

Akio Toyoda declared: “Electric cars 

are overrated, the sector will collapse”. 

That was a clear answer to the 

European Union’s hypothesis of stopping 

producing ICE by 2035. But it 

was also a tsunami that severely affected 

the stock market quotations of the 

world’s leading car manufacturer. 

It took all the rallying experience of 

“Morizo”, the nickname that Toyoda 

uses when he races with his cars, 

to avoid a crash. And if that wasn’t 

exactly a Dakar, a race he loves, it is 

no coincidence that a year later, when 

presenting his 2002 global strategy, 

the Toyota president was on stage with 

five new electric models from the BZ 

(Beyond Zero) series. Akio, however, 

had not forgotten nor randomly uttered 

that little word “overrated” a year earlier. 

Although Toyota announced investments 

of the order of €30 billions to 

sell 3.5 millions of BEVs (battery-powered 

cars) by 2030, its CEO wanted to 

emphasise that not only does he intend 

to offer customers solutions which are 

tailored to their geographical area and 

country, but also that an equivalent 

amount of money will be made availa- 

BMW, Toyota and 

Stellantis still believe 

and invest in ICE 

technology 

ble for the development of battery alternatives: 

hybrids, extended range plugin 

hybrids, fuel cell-powered electrics 

and green hydrogen engines. 

With less fanfare than “Morizo” Toyoda 

and a lower profile, some European 

big names in the automotive world are 

showing signs of nervousness about 

the 2035 “halt”. The most British in the 

bunch is Carlos Tavares, number one of 

Stellantis, who confirmed the start of 

production of a new Euro 7 diesel engine 

by next year, during a recent visit 

to the historic ex-FCA engine plant in 

Pratola Serra, in Southern Italy. The 

electric transition? Absolutely, but “we 

are the fourth largest automotive group 

in the world and we want to keep on excelling”. 

And diesel engines, combined 

with environmental sustainability in the 

best possible way, do not seem to be out 

of play. A statement which was almost 

synchronised with a long interview 

given to the German press by Frank 

Weber, BMW’s Head of Development. 

The occasion? The “farewell” to the 

12-cylinder V engine born in 1986 to 

distinguish the Bavarian brand, which 

is leaving the scene together with the 

leading 7 Series with a Final Edition of 

the 750i. A farewell that allows Weber 

to relaunch, announcing that customers 

will be able to choose between a combustion 

engine and an electric motor 

for the new flagship product, but that 

BMW has no intention to develop any 

independent “full electric” model. After 

the initial phase of the i3 and i8, Munich’s 

“i” cars are destined to become 

battery-powered versions of modular 

models developed to make the best 

possible use of both electric motors 

and conventional engines. “Regardless 

of whether it is a combustion engine 

or an electric motor,” recites Weber’s 

mantra, “the goal is to satisfy our customers 

while minimising CO 2 

emissions.” 

And, the BMW top manager 

thus continues “an effective reduction 

can only be achieved with new-generation 

engines: petrol, diesel, six- and 

eight-cylinder engines. Just as with 

electric motors, where the evolution in 

terms of efficiency of power electronics 

used to control them is impressive”. A 

vision that, indirectly, receives a powerful 

assist from Herbert Diess, CEO 

of Volkswagen, who is notoriously 

pro electric transition. During a parallel 

interview for “The Verge”, the bible 

of new technologies, Diess began 

by saying: “The transition to electric 

cars has several constraints and the 

plan to reach 50 percent of BEVs by 

2030 is extremely ambitious.” First of 

all because, according to Diess, in order 

to achieve such a goal, it would 

be necessary for the European automotive 

sector to be able to set up and 

operate at least 30 giga factories (i.e., 

two-kilometre-long and one-kilometrewide 

plants) for batteries in a few years. 

Not to mention the sources of electricity. 

“In countries where the electricity 

production is based on coal,” stressed 

Diess, “it makes no sense to sell BEVs. 

Poland is one example of this. Before 

that, the existing plants should be converted 

to renewables.” Hence, the conclusion, 

which certainly won’t please 

the Eurocrats in Brussels, is “before deciding 

to sell only electric cars, we need 

to convert 100 percent of the electricity 

production to renewable sources”. 

14 

15

ONROAD 

#SCANIA #13LITER #TRUCK 

SCANIA 13 LITER TRUCK 

I'M A 

SUPER 

ENGINE 

Alexander Vlaskamp, Executive Vice President and Head of Sales and 

Marketing at Scania: “What we introduce today is not only an engine platform 

but a major initiative for strengthening Scania’s industry-leading position within 

sustainable transport for the rest of this decade.” 

It’s called Super and we don’t 

think Scania is guilty of presumption. 

Projected into the Euro6E 

orbit, in a range of four power 

ratings from 420 to 560 hp (the other 

two are comprised between 460 and 

500), the powertrain of Scania Super 

winks at the TCO. Fuel savings 

compared to the previous generation 

are estimated at 8% for a long haul. 

As in the best Scandinavian tradition, 

compatibility with biofuels and 

synthetic fuels is an integral part of 

this project. The HVO is compatible 

with the entire engine family, the 

mid-range power ratings from 460 

and 500 horsepower digesting Fame 

biodiesel. Other versions for non-European 

markets and biomethane will 

follow. The legitimacy of the “Super” 

onomastics, however, does not only 

come from diesel savings. Scania has 

nabbed Weichai, which two years ago 

announced 50 percent efficiency, in 

combination with Bosch. Södertälje 

has thus stepped on the European 

proscenium as a pioneer of this ambitious 

goal. Scania has also succeeded 

thanks to the Scania Twin SCR’s twin 

upper camshafts and AdBlue dosage. 

Torque is available at 900 rpm, anoth- 

Scania’s 13-litre 

truck upgrade, called 

Super, achieves 50% 

efficiency and saves 

8% fuel. Four power 

ratings: 420, 460, 500 

and 560 hp 

er factor that implements efficiency, 

both in terms of specific consumption 

and engine elasticity. This means limiting 

the number of injections delivered 

and the number of gear changes, 

in synergy with the G33CM and 

G25CM gearboxes. We will be clearer 

by getting into details. Here is the 

comment of Magnus Henriksson, 

Chief Engineer: “We knew from the 

very beginning that double overhead 

camshafts (DOHC) together with the 

single cylinder head technology with 

4-valve cylinders and SCR were a requirement. 

Once the DOHC solution 

was defined, we were able to develop 

the auxiliary compression release 

brake for the expected performance 

level. In addition, a precise control 

of the valves by the overhead cams is 

essential for Scania’s advanced SCR 

system with double urea dosage.” 

The compression ratio is 23:1, intake 

and exhaust are calibrated to ensure 

a good gas flow through the engine. 

The turbo and manifold connection 

were optimised for the same reasons. 

The peak pressure inside the cylinders 

can now reach 250 bars, a factor that 

together with the improved injectors 

and fuel pump ensures a precise and 

complete use of fuel energy. What 

about Twin SCR? Henriksson explains: 

“Our SCR Scania Twin Dosing 

system, first introduced in 2020 

with the new V8 engines, injects a first 

dose of AdBlue into the exhaust manifold, 

located after the engine brake, 

where exhaust gases are still very hot, 

thus dramatically increasing the total 

effectiveness of the aftertreatment 

system. The second dose is injected at 

the usual location, inside the silencer, 

where the peak levels of NOx are now 

lower. The particulate filter between 

the two SCR catalysts is regenerated 

without the subsequent injection of 

more fuel into the exhaust system.” 

However, our curiosity was not fulfilled, 

and we wanted to find out more. 

We asked, they answered. 

Where did this idea of revisiting engines 

which are already extremely 

efficient originate from? 

The starting point is the 13-litre engine, 

which has won the Green Truck 

Award for the past five years and has 

been at the top in terms of fuel economy. 

Although we believe in electrification, 

the diesel engine will continue to 

play a decisive role in this decade and, 

for some specific applications, even 

beyond it. In 2020, we were the first 

manufacturer to have our CO 2 

emissions 

reduction targets certified by an 

independent body called the Science 

Based Target Initiative (SBTi). 

Isn’t the reduction in fuel consumption 

also something that Scania 

should consider for Euro7? 

Certainly, the Super platform is 

intended for future evolutions of 

the Euro levels. These engines are 

equipped with the Twin Dosing System, 

with double urea dosage, the first 

immediately downstream of the combustion 

chamber, where hot exhaust 

gases, suitable for cold starts (one of 

the characteristics of Euro6E), are 

intercepted; the second location is inside 

the catalytic converter, where the 

reduction takes place in a conventional 

way. This new urea injection system, 

as well as making the reduction 

16 

17

ONROAD 

#50PERCENTEFFICIENCY #LONGHAULAGE #HVO 

form made up of a powertrain and a 

new generation of chassis (Modular 

Architectural Chassis), both also designed 

from scratch, with a view to 

offer a total operating economy for 

the customer. We introduced more 

robust components to extend service 

intervals, and with the new chassis it 

is possible, when ordering, to specify 

the position of each component along 

the chassis. 

What has changed from a mechanical 

point of view? 

The double overhead camshaft is the 

novelty that also allowed to introduce 

the new auxiliary brake, the compression 

release brake, an option which 

can be combined or not with the hydraulic 

retarder: it is a brake with a 

maximum power of 350 kW and 1,500 

Nm that acts on one of the piston’s ex- 

process very effective at low temperatures 

and low workloads, allows nitrogen 

oxides to be abated over a wider 

range of engine use, and was also 

the key to optimising the combustion 

process, which is at the heart of the 

engine’s energy efficiency. Thanks to 

our in-house technology development, 

which has always been Scania’s hallmark, 

we were able to optimise every 

single detail. With this new platform 

we started from scratch, in 2016, with 

the objective of achieving 50 percent 

thermal efficiency: we have succeeded 

in it and now it is certified for the 

entire 13-litre range, and, in some 

applications, it even exceeds 50 percent, 

a goal which was unimaginable 

just a few years ago. I would like to 

emphasise one aspect: Super is not 

just a new engine, but a vehicle plathaust 

valves. When the piston reaches 

the top dead centre, the valve opens 

slightly, a portion of exhaust gases is 

released and this means that in the 

expansion phase the piston has less 

thrust, while that portion of exhaust 

gases gives a boost to the turbo, creating 

a supercharging. In the subsequent 

compression phase the piston finds 

more air mass, hence more resistance. 

The double camshaft was also the key 

to optimising the entire engine’s lubrication 

and cooling system. 

What are the power levels? 

There are four ratings: 420, 460, 500 

and 560 hp. For all engines, the maximum 

torque starts at 900 rpm, which 

is in line with Scania’s “low revs” philosophy 

and makes the engine elastic, 

economical and comfortable. The 

new gearbox, which was introduced 

last year with the V8 (at that time it 

was the G33CM), is called G25 and 

is designed for engines with a torque 

of up to 2,500 Nm. It is very quick to 

shift and therefore guarantees continuity 

in its torque delivery. We have 

also replaced the synchronisers with 

shaft brakes. The G25 only weighs 75 

kg, also thanks to the new aluminium 

housing, and this benefits the payload. 

Continuing along the powertrain, we 

have introduced a new retarder with 

4,700 Nm of braking torque, which is 

even more efficient at low speeds (plus 

30%), and a new axle, the R756, with 

new faster bridge ratios that allow the 

torque to be exploited at low revs. 

What does FOU stand for? 

It stands for Fuel Optimisation Unit, 

and it’s part of the new generation of 

chassis, the MAC. The aim is to maximise 

the use of the amount of carried 

fuel, thereby reducing any “dead 

weight”: for the same tank volume, 

we use 97 percent of it, which allows 

us to have a smaller volume with the 

same autonomy, optimising the tare 

weight. The new tanks will feature 

an innovative D-shape, which significantly 

improves their robustness, 

thanks to the C-shaped fixing brackets. 

The T-fitting with a separate and 

constant (but very limited) flow to the 

fuel optimisation unit allows to create 

a Venturi effect, which prevents the 

formation of air pockets that could 

block the flow between the two tanks 

to the main tank. The low-pressure 

fuel pump, the main fuel filter and 

the water separation filter have been 

removed from the engine itself and 

relocated into the separate fuel opti- 

misation unit. The unit is mounted on 

one side of the primary tank. This way 

Scania has finally solved the age-old 

problem of how to fully utilise the fuel 

in the tank. 

In view of off-road applications, 

how many PTOs are there? 

There is a programme of PTOs at the 

gearbox, linked to the new family of 

gearboxes, 4 single PTOs and 4 double 

PTOs of our own design, with renewed 

ratios and torques, a single or 

double output and different options of 

attachments (pump or flange). On the 

engine there is the ED10 power takeoff 

(1,000 Nm), which in its most powerful 

version can reach 238 kW, oilcooled, 

clockwise movement; the ED7 

(700 Nm). The offered range of solutions 

is quite wide. The applications 

will be visible in a few years’ time. 

18 

19

FOCUS 

#CATERPILLAR #CHP #USA 

CATERPILLAR CHP 

FOR 

TODAY AND 

TOMORROW 

XQP310 EU STAGE V GENSETS 

Caterpillar announced the introduction of the 310 

kVA Cat XQP310 generator set, meeting EU Stage V 

emission standards. The Cat XQP310 follows the launch 

of the 200 kVA Cat XQP200 mobile generator set in 

2021. With 12% more power than its predecessor, 

the Cat XQP310 is engineered for flexibility by easily 

switching between 50 and 60 Hz. It is equipped with 

Cat Connect technology to remotely track and manage 

the generator set and improve operational efficiency. 

Through a subscription, the telematics send realtime 

information on fuel level, AdBlue/DEF level, 

battery voltage, and run status. Cat mobile gensets are 

equipped with the EMCP 4.2B digital control panel and 

Programmable logic controller (PLC) functionality. 

They are designed with a dual-wall fuel tank with an 

open bund that helps to protect the environment by 

containing spills, while coastal ingress protection (CIP) 

enables operation in harsh conditions. 

These generator sets can use up to 100% HVO. 

Thomas Smith, North America Gas Segment Manager for Caterpillar’s Electric 

Power division: “By expanding our containerized CHP options, we have further 

simplified the process for customers to support their environmental, social, and 

governance initiatives quickly and economically.” 

We reported on Cat power 

generation in the January 

issue, about a data centre 

in Quincy, Washington, 

US. Now we tell you about a webinar 

in which Lou Signorelli, Caterpillar 

Electric Power, moderator, and Tom 

Smith, Caterpillar Gas Segment Manager, 

spoke about Caterpillar CHP. 

“We’re going to talk about what exactly 

CHP is,” Smith said. “CHP has 

been a reliable, sustainable energy 

solution since 1882, when one of the 

world’s greatest inventors, Thomas 

Edison, built the first CHP plant in 

New York City that was producing 

electric power for the downtown New 

York grid at the time. Over the years 

Caterpillar, with our sister company 

Solar Turbines, has put in over 

33,000 MW of CHP applications. 

What’s happening with all of the 

changes in the power industry, with 

transportation being electrified (in 

fact even with Caterpillar Equipment 

we’re electrifying mining equipment 

to obviously reduce greenhouse gases), 

is driving up the need for reliable 

clean energy. If you take a look 

at a conventional way a hospital 

gets electric power, you know you 

have a power plant that would be 

Tom Smith, Caterpillar 

Gas Segment Manager, 

spoke about Caterpillar 

CHP, introducing 

Caterpillar’s vision 

of cogeneration 

remote to the facility, there would be 

transmission and distribution losses 

before the electric power got to the 

site, then the site in order to produce 

heating would have a boiler for hot 

water or steam and that would require 

in a traditional power plant almost 

10,000 tons per year of CO 2 

. If 

you put a CHP system generating the 

electricity on site you’re using the 

waste heat, you’re seeing almost a 

51% reduction in greenhouse gases.” 

Lou Signorelli introduced the topic 

of energy saving and reduction of 

harmful emissions. How does CHP 

reduce emissions even when the engines 

are using natural gas as a fuel?, 

he asked. 

Tom White gets to the heart of the 

matter. “If you look at a CHP operating 

super efficiently, you are saving a 

lot of the greenhouse gases because 

you’re using all of the waste heat. 

That is going to be even more and 

more prevalent as we look at alternative 

fuels of the future like hydrogen, 

where you can have super efficient 

CHP facilities with zero emissions. 

A key consideration with any investment 

nowadays is it has got to make 

economic sense. CHP has always 

made economic sense in most areas 

because it’s very efficient. In the US 

we have investment tax credits and 

a lot of federal and local incentives. 

Taking a look at another key advantage 

of CHP, we’re seeing a lot of different 

weather events that occurred 

and knocked out power in a number 

of facilities all over the world, so 

having reliability is key and that’s 

one of the real benefits that CHP can 

offer. Any industry that could use that 

heat either to produce hot water or 

steam or converting it to chill water 

is a perfect fit for CHP: district 

energy facilities, hospitals, landfills, 

greenhouses, government facilities, 

data centers, water sewage plants, 

mining electric utilities… There’s 

just a vast amount of applications for 

CHP. When I got into the CHP business 

in the early 80s, a lot of the initial 

adopters of CHP were the high 

electric power users and people that 

had massive amounts of thermal energy, 

like oil refining and chemical 

manufacturing, now CHP is growing 

into other markets as we talked about 

greenhouses and hospitals because 

they’re looking at the resiliency. Historically 

data centers have looked at 

just having 100% backup provided 

by diesel engines and not using the 

waste heat because of efficiency, the 

need for capacity, the high volume 

of cooling that’s required in data 

centers. A couple of examples: we 

put a cogeneration project in the WR 

Grace Davison Chemical Division. 

They have over 22 plants throughout 

the world, one of their largest facilities 

in Curtis Bay, Maryland, had 

been in operation since 1910. They 

put a CHP plan that was basically 

sized for the thermal use that they 

had for the heating and some hot 

water requirements. Even though the 

plant had a peak load of almost 15 

MW, they installed a 5MW CHP plant 

with some of our engines capturing 

the waste heat for hot water production 

that’s used in the facility. It really 

helped WR Grace meet some of its 

20 

21

FOCUS 

#JMPGREENHOUSE #BROCKUNIVERSITY #SNOWBIRD 

MORE CHOICE FOR CONTAINERIZED CHP 

By adding options with Cat G3512H and Cat G3516H naturalgas 

generator sets, Caterpillar delivers containerized CHP 

solutions with power modules ranging from 1.5 MW up to 2.5 

MW that simplify the design, installation, and commissioning 

of CHP applications while eliminating the need for outsourcing 

additional engineering or project management. Designed, 

assembled, and tested at Caterpillar facilities in the USA, the 

sound-attenuated, 63-foot-long solutions reduce the lead 

time to implement CHP capabilities by including all the major 

elements needed to support a cogeneration application, 

including the generator set, heat recovery and dissipation 

systems, combustion and ventilation air systems, master 

controls, and balance of plant components. The CHP solutions 

feature standardized configurations to reduce lead times 

while allowing for the customization of the radiator system, 

exhaust and air system, fuel system, and other components. 

Now available for purchase in the US, Canada, and Mexico, 

Caterpillar’s containerized CHP solutions feature a standard 

Caterpillar warranty, with a suite of additional Extended 

Service Coverage options available. They can be equipped with 

Cat Connect Remote Asset Monitoring, which provides data 

visualization, reporting, and alerts that are accessible from 

anywhere in the world through an easy-to-use web interface 

and mobile app. 

sustainability goals, reducing annual 

GHG emission of 14,415 tons. 

Another important market for CHP 

is the greenhouse market, which is expanding 

globally. These facilities require 

a lot of power all the time to keep 

the proper temperatures or lighting. In 

a project we did and in Poland (JMP 

Greenhouse, they’re Europe’s largest 

producer of orchids) we put a cogen 

system in an 18-acre greenhouse that 

produced over 4.5 MW of electric 

power and over 5.25 MW of thermal 

energy. It was a very cost-effective investment 

for the company and it also 

helped provide backup power in case 

there would be an outage from the 

utility. The greenhouse can capture 

some exhaust (CO 2 

) as well and use 

it to help stimulate plant growth. The 

other big market that we’re seeing is 

district heating systems whether it’s 

at a university or it’s at a downtown 

facility with the increased demand 

for energy. CHP provides continuous 

electric supply and the heat is used in 

the district heating system: you can 

see efficiencies approaching 90%, 

at the same time you’re lowering the 

emissions. In St Catharine, Ontario, 

at the Brock University, they put in at 

CHP system that produces 2 MW of 

power: they’re lowering their overall 

cost of energy and again providing 

resiliency to the campus. 

One of the other areas where there 

is a massive amount of interest in is 

hospitals. In the USA there is a consolidation 

of a lot of major health 

networks with new facilities being 

built and these facilities are very focused 

on being green, efficient, sus- 

tainable and have power 100% of the 

time. I guess you probably can’t think 

of an industry that’s more critical to 

have power than a hospital. 

We’re seeing a lot of CHP systems 

going into the hospitality industry: 

at Snowbird, Utah, there was a 

CHP plant that we built with one of 

our dealers called Wheeler Power 

Systems. It was a really great CHP 

project, it is 5.3 MW of cogen in a 

building, it provides the majority of 

the electric power for the resort. The 

system is used to heat and cool the 

lodges and hotels and it can provide 

backup power for the facility as well. 

The system originally went in in 1986 

and it was powered by some older 

Cat equipment producing a bit lower 

output of 1.9 MW versus a new one at 

5.3 but the facility operated so well 

that the owners of the resort decided 

to upgrade that. 

One of the other applications that 

has a big potential for CHP is in the 

wastewater treatment facility. In a 

lot of these facilities, you produce a 

waste gas that can be converted in an 

anaerobic digester that can produce 

gas that can actually be used to power 

a CHP. In the facility in Gresham, 

Oregon, they reached zero emissions 

in 2015 by putting in two 400 kW 

CHP systems that are powered on the 

waste gas and the heat of those systems 

is used to help run the digester 

and also to heat the rest of the facility. 

Probably the one of the biggest buzzwords 

that we’re hearing in the 

power industry today is microgrids. 

You can have a basic microgrid with 

one or two sources of energy or a 

more complex grid with solar, wind, 

energy storage, engine generators, 

combined heat and power systems 

in the grid providing the backup. If 

you can integrate all these technologies 

effectively and control them, you 

will be able to localize your power 

production and produce power more 

reliably cost effectively and avoiding 

expense for communities, industry, 

commercial applications, remote facilities 

like we’re doing in the mining 

sector in areas where you don’t have 

electric power. 

For sure we see a role for CHP in 

microgrids because having a CHP 

system or an engine connected to a 

localized microgrid would be perfect 

for that type of efficient operation. A 

little example of a case study that we 

had on a microgrid was in Califor- 

nia at an area called Taylor Farms, 

an agricultural facility where they 

already had solar and wind power. 

We added a cogen system to the facility 

to be able to operate when it’s 

not sunny and windy and that facility 

combined with the current solar and 

wind capacity that they had in recovering 

the waste heat through an absorption 

chiller to meet some of the 

cooling requirements at the facility. 

They were able to reduce their CO 2 

emissions by 94%. 

In the future those systems will be 

retrofitted to operate on either 100% 

hydrogen or partial blends of hydrogen 

to produce electric power, so we 

at Caterpillar are working on this 

with the Department of Energy. I 

think this really shows the sustainability 

of the CHP industry.” 

22 

23

kWe - OFF-HIGHWAY 

#HONDA #EGX #ELECTRIC #POWERPACK 

ELECTRIC GX 

HONDA 

VISION 

2030 

MOBILE POWER PACK 

Portable powerpacks are the lynchpin of electric drive, so it 

comes to small gensets and battery chargers for mobile applications. 

Komatsu provides its take on that by signing an agreement 

with Honda to use MPPs (Mobile Power Packs) to power 

micro-excavators. Joint development efforts will target Komatsu’s 

PC01 that’s going to be electrified with Honda’s MPP and 

eGX. In their cooperation, the partners will work on mini-excavators 

up to 1 ton and other building site machinery. Moreover, 

further down the road, Honda is considering the possibility 

of supplying electricity stored in MPPs to the power grid in 

case of a power shortage by connecting Honda Mobile Power 

Pack to the power grid. Since February 2019, Honda has been 

conducting demonstration testing in the Philippines for the 

utilization of surplus electricity using MPP and electric motorcycles 

for the purpose of realizing “local generation and local 

consumption” of electricity from renewable energy sources. 

William Walton, Vice President, Honda Power Equipment: 

“Steadily improving motor, battery, and charging technology allows 

OEMs and contracting professionals to expand their equipment 

inventory, providing more choices in how to work most efficiently 

and cost effectively. Ultimately, a wider choice helps them 

serve their customers, improve their bottom lines and build their 

businesses.” 

Almost a year has gone by since 

June 2021, when Honda put 

eGX on the Japanese market. 

From then on, the electric version 

of the GX platform reached the 

Western world, on both the European 

and the North American sides of the 

ocean. The eGX hit the stages of the 

World of Concrete Show in Las Vegas 

and EIMA in Bologna. Engines below 

19 kW have now become a fixed 

target of electrification; petrol-fuelled 

single-cylinder engines can’t escape 

the encirclement, either. 

In the recent past, Honda has managed 

to repel the attack on the stagecoach 

by its low-cost competitors (basically 

those Made in China shelf products) 

counting on quality and reliability. 

The competition from small electric 

engines, instead, can only be handled 

the separated type, the motor is compatible 

for use on rammer products. 

The motor’s PDU incorporates a silicone 

seal and durable condenser that 

contribute to resistance to water, dust 

and vibration for reliability and high 

output. The Honda eGX also meets 

IEC62841-1 compliance. To provide 

the Italian audience a better snapshot 

of this unit, we turned to Honda Motor 

Logistics. A first reassuring comment 

is about size. “The motor is interchangeable 

with conventional GX 

petrol engines with respect to engine 

flange mounting holes and dimensions 

in general. This applies to the 120cc as 

well as to the 160 and 200cc models. 

Designed with a lithium-ion battery 

pack that’s detachable and compatible 

with high-speed chargers, this motor 

was born with building sector applicathrough 

cooptation. The eGX boasts 

a three-phase brushless DC motor, an 

output of 1.8 kW, a high-rigidity sealed 

structure for vibration and dust resistance. 

It comes in an integrated and a 

separated version. Running at 3,000 to 

3,600 rpm, the 2kW class motor features 

internal and external cooling fans 

to dissipate heat. The integrated motor, 

power drive unit (PDU) and battery 

pack incorporate rubber mounts that 

absorb vibration resulting in less operator 

fatigue and longer product life. In 

Honda’s eGX is 

available in both 

integrated and 

separate versions 

tions in mind, and it is available as a 

separated version – featuring the motor 

and a separate battery pack holder 

– and an integrated one. It finds its natural 

home in construction applications, 

but tests are also being carried out with 

gardening units such as walk-behind 

leaf blowers, bio-shredders and motorized 

wheelbarrows. Right now, the only 

limit is our customers’ imagination.” 

So you kept the same footprint as 

other versions? 

Indeed, we used the space that’s left 

after removal of tank and air filter to 

place the battery in, thus creating an 

interchangeable product – despite the 

price tag still playing against the electric 

version. On the other hand, with 

standards imposing zero tailpipe emissions, 

the eGX becomes a mandatory 

solution. 

About applications, you were saying? 

The primary targets include vibrating 

plate compactors or vertical 

rammers, motorized wheelbarrows, 

walk-behind leaf blowers, scarifiers, 

bio-shredders. 

What about power sources? 

Honda tackles this crucial issue with 

a synergic, cross-cutting approach. 

The general idea is to develop portable 

powerpacks (see box). eGX motors 

are made in Japan, while the batteries 

and battery chargers are provided by 

a Chinese supplier based on Honda 

specifications. In Europe we offer a 

three-year warranty on motors and a 

two-year warranty on the battery and 

battery charger. 

What follows herebelow is the very 

voice of the Honda headquarters. 

“Today’s environment is shifting supply 

and demand toward zero emission 

products. But reducing operational 

greenhouse gas emissions is only part 

of the picture: battery powered power 

products must meet rugged performance 

standards required by owners 

while making the equipment easier for 

operators to use. With this new, advanced 

electrified power unit, Honda 

is supporting OEMs in commercial 

markets in their efforts to meet increasingly 

stringent regulatory standards 

while expanding their portfolios with 

strategic developments such as developing 

more battery powered products, 

enhancing service offerings, and expansion, 

collaboration and partnerships 

with customers and suppliers,” 

said William Walton, Vice President, 

Honda Power Equipment. 

24 

25

REPORT 

#ACQUISITIONS #CHEVRON #CUMMINS #EFFICIENTDRIVETRAINS #JOINTVENTURES #MERITOR 

CUMMINS M&A STRATEGY 

GLOBAL 

PLAY 

MAKER 

MOU WITH CHEVRON 

A Memorandum of Understanding provides the framework 

for Chevron and Cummins to initially collaborate on four 

main objectives: advancing public policy that promotes hydrogen 

as a decarbonizing solution for transportation and industry; 

building market demand for commercial vehicles and 

industrial applications powered by hydrogen; developing infrastructure 

to support the use of hydrogen for industry and 

fuel cell vehicles; and exploring opportunities to leverage 

Cummins electrolyzer and fuel cell technologies at one or 

more of Chevron’s domestic refineries. 

“Hydrogen is just one lower-carbon solution we are investing 

in that will position our customers to reduce the carbon 

intensity of their businesses and everyday lives. We’ve also 

invested in developing and supplying renewable natural gas, 

blending renewables into our fuels, coprocessing biofeedstocks 

in our refineries, and abatement projects that will 

reduce the carbon intensity of our operations,” said Andy 

Walz, president of Chevron’s Americas Fuels & Lubricants. 

Cummins Inc. Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger: “We have a mission 

statement commitment and we also believe it is more profitable for Cummins 

to find solutions to these new challenges, not just keep offering older 

technologies.” 

Ecological transition and timeto-market. 

Two essential requirements 

that often do not 

go together. The most common 

solution is internalisation through 

M&A. Cummins is applying this 

strategy with an impressive shockwave, 

calibrating investments to each 

application and each energy source 

technology. Over the past 10 years, 

Cummins has completed many acquisitions, 

covering a wide range 

of expertise, with many supporting 

the pathway to decarbonisation. The 

range of solutions and technologies 

now available across the Cummins 

power portfolio is truly diverse, with 

significant advancements made across 

multiple technologies, but there are 

still further steps to be made to reach 

our global decarbonization ambitions. 

Broadening the power portfolio is essential 

to Cummins, with the development 

of diesel, natural gas, propane, 

hydrogen, fuel cell and battery systems 

all integral to curating a breadth 

of packages capable of powering all 

applications. This approach will support 

the decarbonization of multiple 

industries using a mix of lower emission 

internal combustion engines and 

CPC, Daimler, 

Efficient Drivetrains, 

Hydrogenics, JBS, 

Johnson Mattey, 

Loop Energy, Meritor, 

Momentum, NPROXX, 

Sion Power 

low-carbon technologies today, whilst 

funding further development of zero-emissions 

solutions for the future. 

The recipe for success is threefold – 

investment in innovative technologies 

supported by deep application knowledge 

and customer trust, all combined 

with the power of a 103 year old business. 

Cummins can’t walk this path 

alone and that’s reflected in its collaborative 

relationships with stakeholders 

and partners, as well as its current 

acquisition strategy. By acquiring, 

investing and agreeing MOUs with 

leading businesses in aftertreatment 

and zero-emissions technologies, 

Cummins has used its industry leading 

expertise in bringing products to market 

to increase accessibility for low/ 

zero emission technology, building on 

strong customer loyalty and a reputa- 

tion of delivering reliable solutions. 

This expertise and reputation is also 

matched with global sales platforms, 

availability of integrated technologies 

(such as telematics software) and a 

global customer support network. In 

terms of how these entities are organized 

in line with research and development, 

Cummins spends circa $1bn 

on research and development (R&D) 

annually. This R&D is not centralized 

to one location or product area, 

products are designed by teams that 

work with each technology daily and 

that understand them – and customer 

demands – inside and out. Cummins 

R&D is cross functional, it is not isolated 

“inventors” in a lab. Cummins 

believes its internal combustion engine 

range will continue to grow for 

some time yet and is looking to expand 

its base business. Further development 

of fuel systems, aftertreatment 

and turbochargers all support 

emissions reduction and build on the 

latest generation of Cummins engines 

that are already ultra-efficient. This 

will become increasingly important 

as Cummins launches its innovative 

fuel agnostic platform, which boasts 

common blocks, core components 

and architecture for diesel, natural 

gas and hydrogen engines. As a result 

of R&D, product development and a 

series of acquisitions, Cummins globally 

has already supported the rollout 

of over 6,200 battery modules and 

packs and 2,000 fuel cell installations 

across key markets. Cummins is also 

committed to developing fuel of the 

future, with ambitious plans in place 

to develop the largest and most effi- 

cient PEM electrolyzers in the world. 

Matching power solutions to markets 

is key to decarbonization ambitions. 

Only through collaborative working 

and a partnership approach can Cummins 

develop a full understanding of 

which industries will benefit most 

from which specific solutions, based 

on what’s available now and what will 

be available in the near future. For example, 

BEV drivetrains are well suited 

to light commercial vehicles but 

not yet for heavy-duty agriculture or 

construction, whilst marine and power 

generation markets look more likely 

to benefit most from PEM and solid 

oxide fuel cells systems. We offer you 

a summary of recent key Cummins 

acquisitions, investments and MOUs. 

In February 2022, Meritor entered 

into a definitive agreement under 

26 

27

REPORT 

#CPC #DAIMLER #HYDROGENICS #JOHNSON MATTHEY #JVS #LOOPENERGY #MOMENTUM #NPROXX #SIONPOWER 

Momentum Fuel Technologies 

In January 2022, Cummins and Rush Enterprises, Inc. announced 

Cummins’ acquisition of 50% equity interest in Momentum Fuel 

Technologies from Rush Enterprises. The joint venture between 

Rush Enterprises and Cummins will seek to enhance production 

of near-zero emissions natural gas powertrains by manufacturing 

Cummins-branded natural gas fuel delivery systems for the 

commercial vehicle market in North America. The new company 

combines the strengths of Momentum Fuel Technologies’ 

compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel delivery systems and 

Cummins’ powertrain expertise. When powered by renewable 

natural gas (RNG), using methane collected from organic waste 

as the primary fuel source, the engines can be credited with 

a neutral to negative carbon index, resulting in net greenhouse 

gas (GHG) emissions at or below zero. 

Amy Davis, Vice President & President - New Power: “Our New Power 

business is positioned to capture significant growth both in our core markets, 

as they transition to zero carbon solutions, and in new spaces presented by the 

global hydrogen economy. Through shorter development cycles, vehicle build 

capability, the infusion of outside talent, and operational autonomy, we will be 

able to enhance the value we can provide to all of our stakeholders.” 

which Cummins will acquire Meritor, 

a global leader of drivetrain, mobility, 

braking, aftermarket and electric 

powertrain solutions for commercial 

vehicle and industrial markets. 

This combined portfolio creates an 

attractive platform to deliver optimized 

powertrains as well as to advance 

electrification efforts through 

a combination of both businesses’ 

capabilities. 

In February 2022, Cummins signed 

an agreement to acquire Jacobs Vehicle 

Systems (JVS), a subsidiary of 

Altra Industrial Motion Corp., and a 

supplier of engine braking, cylinder 

deactivation, start and stop and thermal 

management technologies. The 

agreement brings the addition of new 

technologies to provide growth opportunities 

for Cummins’ current and 

future advanced diesel engine platforms. 

Engine braking and cylinder 

deactivation technologies will be key 

components in meeting current and 

future emissions regulations and the 

acquisition of JVS allows Cummins 

better integrate valuable components 

with its emissions leading mediumand 

heavy-duty engines. 

In February 2021, Daimler Truck 

AG and Cummins signed a Memorandum 

of Understanding, establishing 

a global strategic partnership for 

medium duty engine systems. As part 

of the memorandum, Cummins will 

establish an engine plant within the 

Mercedes-Benz Mannheim campus to 

produce medium-duty engines compliant 

with Euro VII emissions for 

Daimler Trucks and Buses. 

In June 2020, it was the time for an 

agreement to form a joint venture 

with NPROXX, a leader in hydrogen 

storage and transportation, for 

hydrogen storage tanks. The addition 

of hydrogen storage to Cummins’ 

existing capabilities in hydrogen 

production and fuel cells enables the 

company to accelerate the viability 

and adoption of this technology in 

commercial markets. The joint venture 

provides customers with hydrogen 

and CNG storage products for 

on-highway and rail applications. 

In May 2020, Loop Energy, a leading 

provider of fuel cell electric range 

extenders for medium and heavy-duty 

transport applications, announced that 

the Company had received an additional 

investment from Cummins Inc. 

In June 2019, Cummins announced its 

acquisition of fuel cell and hydrogen 

production technologies provider Hydrogenics 

Corporation. The acquisition 

provides Cummins with both 

proton exchange membrane (PEM) 

and alkaline fuel cells electrolyzers to 

generate hydrogen. Owning both fuel 

cell and hydrogen generation from 

electrolysis capabilities enables Cummins 

to offer full hydrogen solutions 

– from start to finish, seamlessly integrated 

for its customers. 

In November 2021, Cummins entered 

into an agreement with Sion Power 

Corporation, a leading developer 

of high-energy rechargeable battery 

technology, to design and supply battery 

cells based on proprietary lithium 

metal technology for commercial 

vehicle applications. The investment 

allows Sion Power to further develop 

their lithium metal technology 

for the commercial vehicle market, 

and positions both companies for 

success in future commercialization 

of the technology. Under the agreement, 

Sion Power will design and 

supply large-format lithium metal 

battery cells for use in Cummins battery 

packs. The batteries developed 

by Cummins will be integrated into 

electric powertrains for commercial 

vehicles. 

In January 2018, the American company 

announced the acquisition of 

Johnson Matthey’s UK automotive 

battery systems business, a subsidiary 

of Johnson Matthey that specializes in 

high-voltage automotive grade battery 

systems for electric and hybrid vehicles. 

As part of the acquisition, Cummins 

and Johnson Matthey agreed 

to collaborate on the development 

of high energy battery materials for 

commercial heavy duty applications. 

In December 2021, Cummins and 

China Petrochemical Corporation 

(“Sinopec Group”) formed a 

50:50 joint venture – Cummins Enze 

(Guangdong) Hydrogen Technology 

Co., Ltd (“Cummins Enze”). The joint 

venture will accelerate the affordability 

and availability of green hydrogen 

through increased technological innovation, 

research and development, 

and manufacturing capacity. Initial 

investment will be in a manufacturing 

plant to produce proton exchange 

membrane (PEM) electrolyzers at the 

rate of 500 megawatts of electrolyzers 

per year upon completion in 2023. 

This will be gradually increased to 

one gigawatt of manufacturing capacity 

per year. 

28 

29

COMPARISONS PREVIEWS 

#COMMONRAIL#OFFROAD #HVO #POWERPACK #CONSTRUCTION #OFFROAD #NOATS #CHECKAPP #

COMPARISONS PREVIEWS 

#CATERPILLAR #HATZ #KOHLER # KUBOTA #PERKINS #YANMAR 

Speaking of competitors, how are 

they reacting? 

New entrants to this contest can’t 

but face Kubota, whose V1505 – of 

equal rank – features an updated 

E-TVCS (Three Vortex Combustion 

System), one of the flags Kubota 

has planted on the engineering map. 

Their D902K, instead, gets confined 

in the box due to a displacement 

that’s a bit subdued compared 

to the average under scrutiny here. 

However, although the Diesel Index 

goes to Kohler and the H series 

from Hatz (always on top of podium 

in every contest it takes part in), 

you just have to scroll the density 

specs to get an idea of how good 

this monobloc is. 

Among them, the most celebrated 

BRAND 

MODEL 

INDEX 

CATERPILLA 

CATERPILLAR 

C1.1 

HATZ 

3H50T 

KOHLER 

KSD 1403TCA 

KUBOTA 

V1505-E4B 

is its rated power to displacement 

ratio, but they all depend on the engine’s 

dimensions.This driver is by 

far the most competitive, with 0.12 

cubic meters, to which only Kohler 

manages to get close. A few expedients 

were used to reduce noise and 

vibration, e.g. the half-float valve 

cover and the MoS 2 

(Molybdenum 

disulfide) coated pistons. 

Perkins turns up with the odd-numbered 

cylinder engine from the 400 

series, a historical reminder of their 

collaboration with Shibaura which 

in the high end of the family has 

been revisited and recruited in the 

Syncro team (originally including 

the 3.6 and the 2.8 L). Again in this 

case – as it always happens when 

their respective product lists happen 

to intersect – Caterpillar and 

Perkins are walking at the same 

pace. The “yellow” team lines up 

the C1.1, a spectacular version of 

its British cousin which, as the 

name suggests, corresponds to a 

1.1 L (B&S 77x81 mm). Their performances, 

too, thus mirror each 

other, with 18.4 kW at 2,800 rpm 

and 86 Nm at 1,600. Their 1.1 L 

are the most compact, those with 

the smallest displacement, so they 

explicitly play with mean effective 

pressure to be able to sit down at 

the contenders’ table. Series 400 

enjoyed a remarkable upgrading 

at the end of 2014, when rotary 

pumps gave way to common rail on 

the biggest capacity units, such as 

the 2.2 L. One step down the Per- 

PERKINS 

403J-11T 

YANMAR 

3TNV80FT 

Torque 13,5 14,9 17,8 7,5 13,5 9,5 

Performance 3,3 3,5 3,7 2,7 3,3 3,1 

Stress 5,8 6,3 6,7 4,6 5,8 5,3 

Lightness 8,2 9,5 9,3 6,6 10,3 10,5 

Density 37,3 20,7 35,6 27,5 27,4 22,9 

DIESEL INDEX 6,2 6 6 5,6 6 5,5 

kins’ engine ladder, we find the 

1.7 L (B/S 84x100 mm), labelled 

403J-17, standing below the margin 

line with 18.9 kW. The 600 

cc difference accounts for a 12% 

incremental torque, equal to 97.9 

Nm. Together with Hatz, Kubota 

completes the range with its 1.5 L 

V1505, delivering 33kW and 118.5 

Nm in its CR-T version, introduced 

at Intermat 2018, featuring 

a thousand rpm interval between 

max power and max torque. The 

dimensions get substantially larger 

if measured against the 19kW rating, 

with length alone featuring an 

extra 268 mm – as a percentage, it 

means 100 percent more – including 

because of the DOC/DPF module 

placed on the flywheel. As for 

the other Japanese – Yanmar – they 

put forward their 3TNV80FT, a bit 

weak torque-wise compared to other 

contestants; this does, however, 

change quickly as the engine reaches 

torque at max power. Peeking 

into Yanmar’s product list, we also 

find the odd-numbered 3TNV88C 

which is, however, above the 1.5 L 

threshold (B/S 88x90). This 1.6 L 

delivers 27.5 kW and touches 100 

Nm, thus falling outside the scope 

of this comparison. 

KUBOTA D902-K 

The D902-K by Kubota is proof that the cauldron below 19 kW is 

bubbling, and Kubota is particularly attentive to this segment – given 

its well-established presence among a few applications for which 

space is crucial, such as professional lawnmowers and garden tractors. 

The three-cylinder, 0.898 L D902-K , set for serial production from 

this year, is the first CAN controlled electronic engine developed by 

Kubota for output below 19 kW. It’s designed to meet Stage V, EPA 

Tier 4, China NR IV regulations as well as Chinese class III GB36886- 

2018 requirement on visible smoke, scheduled to get into effect in 

December 2022. The D902-K is equipped with a newly designed TVCR 

combustion chamber matched to a common rail that fits well into 

its compact size. This system enhances engine performance while 

also reducing consumption by a 5% compared to the conventional 

model. Black smoke emissions are thus reduced to a barely visible 

quantity, including when starting, speeding up or at peak loads. 

Daniel Grant, Manager Marketing Intelligence at Kubota Business 

Unit Engine Europe, said: “The announcement of the new D902-K is 

part of Kubota’s commitment in responding to latest global emission 

regulations through innovation and design, ensuring we are providing 

our customers with compliant solutions. As part of our customer 

strategy, it’s crucial that these solutions exceed the needs of our OEM 

customers. That’s why the compact dimensions of our new D902-K 

diesel engine are compatible with conventional models. To compliment 

this, the intake and exhaust position, engine mount mounting position 

and PTO are also the same as conventional product. This means the 

D902-K can easily be incorporated into an OEM’s production processes 

without impacting on final product design and development”. 

Another key feature of Kubota’s D902-K is its ability optimise efficiency 

through telematics technology. The CAN interface and electric control 

enable rotation and torque adjustments that cannot be achieved on 

units with mechanical control. 

CAT KOHLER HATZ 

PERKINS 

32 

33

kWe - OFFHIGHWAY 

#ASSOCIATIONEQUIPMENTMANUFACTURERS #VOLVOCE #CASPER 

AEM 

EMBRACING 

ELECTRIC 

POWER 

Darrell Merritt, Casper Company Equipment Demolition Superintendent: 

“Casper wants to be a leader in the future of EVs and when the Volvo electric 

models become available, we look forward to being the first to get one.” 

The Association of Equipment 

Manufacturers (AEM) represents 

more than 1,000 companies 

in the agriculture and 

construction-related industry sectors 

worldwide. The equipment manufacturing 

industry in the United States 

contributes roughly $288 billion to the 

economy every year. The US is at the 

forefront of electrification processes 

(Nikola, for example, Cummins and 

Caterpillar, Dana Inc., Allison and 

Meritor, to name a few others). Who 

better to comment on decarbonisation 

among industrial applications than 

AEM? Casper Company, a concrete 

and demolition contractor based out of 

Spring Valley, owns six EVs – a fleet 

of Sherpa stand-behind skid steer loaders 

and Brokk radio remote control 

demolition machines – and for three 

of 48 V, a battery capacity of 20 kWh, 

and a peak electric motor of 24 hp. It 

has a maximum dump height of nine 

feet, eight inches (with the optional 

long arm) and a maximum dig depth 

of nine feet, one inch (with the optional 

long arm), and features a breakout 

force of 5,020 lb.-ft. 

“We used them in excavation applications, 

fitted the excavator with a hydraulic 

breaker, cutting out concrete 

with the loader, truck loading, grading, 

underground work to all things 

demolition,” says Casper Company 

Equipment Demolition Superintendent, 

Darrell Merritt. Both the electric 

and diesel versions can perform all the 

same functions and run all the same attachments 

without seeing a change in 

performance. “We got five to six hours 

of use out of the machines,” says Mermonths 

they demo’d the Volvo L25 

Electric compact wheel loader and the 

Volvo ECR25 Electric compact excavator. 

The L25 Electric features the 

newest Li-ion battery 48V technology 

with 39 kWh capacity. It is powerful. 

It provides a peak electric motor driveline 

of 48 hp and a peak electric motor 

working hydraulics of 43 hp. The 

ECR25 Electric is a zero-tail swing 

machine that features a battery voltage 

Five ways owning 

an electric machine is 

different from owning 

a diesel one, according 

to American Equipment 

Manufacturers 

ritt. “And, every night we transferred 

them back to our yard for charging.” 

The L25 has an indicative runtime of 

up to eight hours (depending on application) 

and an off-board charging time 

of about two hours. The ECR25 has an 

indicative runtime of up to four hours 

(depending on application) and can 

reach 80 percent of a full charge in 50 

minutes (both using the 400 VAC 32A 

charging system). “Toward the end of 

the three-month trial, we hooked up 

a tow-behind battery, and then got 

eight hours of work from them,” says 

Merritt. The on-board charging time 

for the L25 is about 12 hours and the 

on-board charging time for the ECR25 

is about five hours (both with the 230 

VAC 16A recharging system). 

The second major difference when 

owning EVs is the decreased maintenance. 

“We experienced no maintenance 

issues during the trial,” says 

Merritt. An electric engine has less 

components than a diesel engine, 

which means there is less to go wrong 

and less that needs servicing. There 

are no oil changes, no filter changes 

and no diesel exhaust fluid. Also, operators 

won’t accidentally put diesel 

in the DEF tank or DEF in the diesel 

tank since there are no tanks. Electric 

energy is clean in two ways; it’s better 

for the environment (depending 

on the energy source) and it is always 

free from contamination. With EVs, 

you don’t need to place orders for 

and then store large quantities of fuel 

for your fleet. And, you don’t have to 

worry about that fuel getting contaminated 

or ensuring it stays at the correct 

temperature. Electric energy is al- 

ways free from contamination, and it 

will never be wasted due to spoilage. 

Since a lot of EVs can work indoors 

and other spaces that diesel machines 

can’t work, these machines are often 

replacing manual labor. 

“Our jobs demand EVs,” says Merritt. 

“We work underground and inside 

buildings that are occupied, so diesel 

machines aren’t an option. In these cases, 

we often work by hand, but there is 

a huge gain in productivity by using an 

EV. An application that takes one hour 

by hand, we can complete in just 20 

minutes with an electric machine.” The 

Volvo L25 Electric and ECR25 Electric 

were demo’d by not just Casper 

Company, but three other companies 

in various applications in different climates 

across the US; the machines are 

expected to be available next year. 

34 

35

kWe - INTERVIEW 

#EVE #AGRIEVE #ELECTRIC #HYBRID 

ELECTRIC VEHICLE EXPERIENCE 

A 

NEW 

EVE 

E-TRACTORS BY AGRI-EVE 

Agri-Eve is the specialty brand for agricultural and forestry 

machinery. The Evo series from Agri-Eve is a 4WD electric tractor 

platform specifically designed for use in vineyards, orchards, 

greenhouses, with multi-functional operation in mind. It can work 

up to eight hours on a single charge and feature a “battery swap” 

function to extend the operating time via the replacement of an 

exhausted battery pack with a new one. Thanks to the Evo Smart 

Charging technology, battery charging can be either done in Level 

2 (7 kW and 11 kW) or in 50kW fast-charging mode. “Precision 

agriculture and simultaneous remote controlling of multiple 

machines are now the standard for modern farms. Evo platforms 

are designed to meet these customers’ requirements,” says Massimo 

Galli. “Zero emission tractors have come into high demand these 

days as most of the farmers are required to curb pollution, improve 

on efficiency and cut fleet maintenance costs; these innovation and 

efficiency requirements are now unavoidable in farming businesses”. 

In addition to the Evo series tractors, Agri-Eve is building new 

strategic partnerships to develop further all-electric agricultural and 

forestry machines. To this aim, the company based in Rovereto, Italy, 

is selecting prospective partners for future projects. The Evo series 

products are now available for pre-order. Delivery is scheduled for 

the last quarter of 2022. 

does feasibility studies 

for the development and 

integration of electric solutions; 

our customers in- 

“Eve 

clude municipal utilities, local public 

transportation and logistics companies, 

for both urban and long-distance 

haulage missions” states Eve’s CEO 

Massimo Galli.“We are consultants, 

and we have to deliver, therefore we 

sometimes advise against switching 

from diesel to electric, if it brings no 

advantages in terms of use, usefulness 

or costs. We have carried out in-depth 

studies on the strongpoints of IC engines, 

right because we need to know 

when it’s really feasible to replace 

them”. And what follows is not what 

you’d expect to hear from someone 

whose company name includes the 

word “electric”: “Ideally, if we could 

always use a diesel engine at a constant 

speed and match it to an electric 

motor, we’d get unrivalled efficiency 

with the current technology. Excluding 

urban mobility, it would be pretty 

hard to find an electric solution to replace 

Stage V/Euro6E diesel engines. 

We’ve got no problem with making a 

battery-operated truck with a 2000 

km driving range. So what’s the challenge? 

Cost – 10 to 20 times higher 

than that of a vehicle fitted with an IC 

Electrification 

consulting for all 

kinds of applications. 

Without disavowing 

the diesel engines 

engine; a gross vehicle weight of over 

30 tons, and recharge times. We’d need 

some 1MW megachargers, like those 

by Tesla, but there are currently just 

a few around, maybe at a handful of 

shopping malls. Does electric make 

sense, then, industry-wise? To date, I’d 

definitely say it doesn’t. I can’t see how 

it could make life simple for a shipping 

company five years from now. Electric 

vehicles work well for businesses like 

Coca Cola and Pepsi, making pointto-point 

deliveries with megachargers 

at every facility. If I was asked to give 

some sort of general rule, I’d say that 

batteries are the best option within a 

50 km driving radius, otherwise you 

need to opt for a diesel engine. Take, 

for instance, city buses (travelling at 

an average of 3 kph) or delivery vans 

(for which the average speed is about 

8 kph) whose dwell time accounts for 

45% of the total travelling time. We 

need to find “matched” solutions; we 

never rule out diesel a priori”. 

Then Massimo Galli goes on with 

what, to our ears, sounds like an unexpected 

ode to internal combustion engines 

with a 2.0 twist. “I am puzzled to 

see how manufacturers are approaching 

things. Engine makers could build 

generators with a very low consumption 

rate and extremely high efficiency. 

Take the studies we carried out on 

truck retarders in Thailand: with them, 

drivers could just forget about brakes. 

We also worked on Australian convoys: 

they usually draw energy from 

batteries even when they are supposed 

to generate it, so we set the retarder to 

work in the last 500 metres of the travel 

for smoother braking. I am thinking 

of a configuration including an electric 

motor on the trailer’s axle and a diesel 

engine in its own place, in the front 

overhang”. Galli ends his overview 

with a couple of applications from Europe 

and North America. 

“The Dancer Bus was devised by a 

Lithuanian company with experience 

in the wind-energy sector. With the 

support from the EU’s European Energy 

Efficiency Fund, they developed 

a sustainability project from scratch: 

electric drive, highly innovative lithium-titanium 

batteries, recycled-plastic 

materials. The Fund took care of 

the financial aspects, while Eve conducted 

the technical due diligence. We 

were tasked with checking whether 

the manufacturer’s specs (mechanical 

performance, torsional and bending 

stiffness… all the way down to 

the software, electrical components, 

project sustainability) were reflected 

in reality. In the USA we were asked 

by a big shipping company to check 

the data warehouse and tell them at 

which locations it would be possible 

to set up an electric integration prototype. 

Based on their data, we carried 

out tests to see where electric motors 

could be used and integrated, and in 

which percentage. Lastly, I’d like to 

mention our studies on the reintegration 

of electric buses that companies 

have bought in the past and then decommissioned”. 

So what does Eve do, in a nutshell? 

“We customize electrification options 

and the necessary modifications, including 

based on financial criteria, 

such as the customer’s willingness to 

renew their fleet.” 

36 

37

AUTOMOTIVE 

#FPTINDUSTRIAL #NIKOLA #CESVEGAS #TRUCKS 

FPT E-AXLES 

GETTING 

A MOVE 

ON 

Trevor Milton, CEO Nikola Corporation: “Nikola has 

the technology but needs a partner with a European network 

to achieve it in a timely manner.” 

From the partnership with Rockwell 

to configuring an electrified 

powertrain by Nikola. Because 

FPT Industrial doesn’t only mean 

engines and we clearly saw this at CES 

in Vegas. We’re talking about the axle 

for heavy vehicles 4x2 / 6x2 and gross 

vehicle weight of 44 tonnes. Data speak 

volumes: 840 kW and efficiency above 

92%. Upon the e-axle’s first appearance 

on Class 8 trucks in the US, FPT 

on-road product manager Andrea Abbà 

rewarded our curiosity. 

What’s the story behind the development 

of the electric axle for the Nikola 

Tre BEV? 

I’d say this e-axle for heavy applications 

was born from the Nikola-Iveco joint 

venture announced in September 2019. 

So it’s a project that was co-developed 

with Nikola themselves. We presented it 

at our booth’s On-road innovation area 

at CES in Las Vegas. The first vehicles 

fitted with our axles hit North America’s 

roads at the end of 2021. 

What do you mean by co-developed 

by FPT and Nikola? 

The idea was that development and 

design would be taken care of by FPT 

Industrial. Nikola, on their part, would 

come to rescue with identifying the 

demands and target segments of the 

We introduce you to 

the e-axle from FPT 

and Nikola, presented 

at CES in Las Vegas 

North American market. 

How do you diversify a product such 

as an electrified heavy vehicle to meet 

the demands of the American and 

European markets? 

We modified the axle’s gear ratio using 

two different ratios to meet specific 

performance requirements. Then we 

adjusted the electrified axle’s output to 

meet the different needs of the European 

and North American markets. 

A quick technical snapshot? 

It’s an axle with two electric motors, one 

speed, with a gear ratio that can deliver 

up to 840 kW of peak power (420 for 

each motor) and a torque of 900 Nm. 

The max axle load is 13 tonnes. It’s used 

on vehicles with a gross vehicle weight 

of 44 tonnes. The guaranteed life of the 

axle and of the powertrain at large is 

the same as with IC engines – i.e. about 

1 million 200 thousand kilometers. So 

we made sure we would provide our 

customers with a benefit. 

Is there any difference in using the 

axle with fuel cell vehicles – hence with 

the FCEV version of the Nikola Tre? 

There’s no substantial difference. The 

kinematic chain has remained unvaried. 

There’s a different power source, 

though, a battery in one case and a fuel 

cell – albeit matched to a battery for 

peak loads – in the other. So the difference 

lies in the power “generator”, but 

the axle is exactly the same. The truck’s 

layout, too, needs no modifications. 

What’s the difference vs conventional 

axles and what niches does it address? 

We’ve tackled heavy vehicles so far but 

we can broaden the range of interest 

to include other applications. At CES, 

for instance, we presented a prototype 

for light commercial vehicles and pickups. 

We also address other automotive 

niches, which can’t be done with conventional 

axles and this allows us to 

broaden the scope of applications we 

can accommodate. 

The specs for heavy vehicle axles are 

the ones just mentioned: max bearable 

load up to 13 tonnes and a gross vehicle 

weight of 44 tonnes. The light vehicle 

axle can withstand up to 7 tonnes 

and a gross vehicle weight of up to 10 

tonnes. Light vehicle axles are different 

in that they feature two coaxial motors, 

while those for heavy vehicles have an 

off-axis setup – which means a height 

offset between the motors. 

Where does FPT fit in this specific 

market niche with its electric axle 

offer? 

We’re in the early stage of heavy vehicle 

electrification. What we’re seeing 

is certainly that the layout is evolving. 

The first vehicles launched on 

the market featured a central drive, 

an adapted version of the existing 

layout with features of standard axles. 

They didn’t use an integrated axle 

like ours. We kept ahead of the game 

by launching a solution that will become 

widespread on the market in a 

few years. 

Is FPT aiming to be a supplier of 

e-axles on the free market? 

As with our IC engines, we’re looking 

for OEMs that may range from big 

manufacturers to small start-ups. 

38 

39

INTERVIEW_DRIVELINE 

#ALLISON #TRUCK #CONSTRUCTION #DAKAR 

ALLISON POINT OF VIEW 

10 

OUT OF 

TEN 

TCO IN FIGURES 

Allison conducted a study on the TCO in collaboration with 

the Poly-Environment fleet of the Derichebourg Group. 

According to the collected data, Allison fully automatic 

transmissions reduce the TCO by 2 percent compared 

to an automated (or semi-automated) gearbox. 

The vehicle stop-start work cycles included more than 

1,100 bin pick-ups per day. The difference in TCO lies mainly 

in the significantly lower maintenance costs and maximum 

uptime. The area where the test was conducted is located 

in the northern suburbs of Paris, an area with more than 

250,000 inhabitants. Nineteen vehicles were monitored, 

seven with fully automatic Allison transmissions and twelve 

with automated gearboxes. These vehicles had been in 

operation for 28 months in this area prior to this study. 

For 12 months, all standard Poly-Environment data were 

compiled (over more than 9,600 shifts). During these 12 

months of collection, vehicles with Allison fully automatic 

transmissions collected an average load per shift that was 

more than 9 percent higher than vehicles with automated 

gearboxes. 

Seven Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell trucks were delivered on the 7 th of October 

2020 in Switzerland, equipped with Allison transmissions, for distribution 

activities, including Migros supermarket chain. By 2025, 1,600 of these 

vehicles will be delivered in Europe. The H2 Xcient feature a 190kW fuel cell 

stack and seven high-pressure tanks that contain 32 kilos of hydrogen. 

For 1,600 vehicles, I could even 

learn to fly,” said Sergio Camolese. 

And yet, although Allison 

European sales director has no 

wings, we can assure you, the reference 

is far from being mythological. 

In fact, the contract has been drawn in 

black and white and provides for the 

equipping of 1,600 hydrogen-powered 

trucks used to supply Swiss supermarkets. 

Allison is moving barycentrically 

between present and future, which 

means that it is promoting the reasons 

for choosing an automatic gearbox 

amongst sceptics, and is trying to have 

it implemented outside its traditional 

truck ecosystem. The company also 

interprets decarbonisation without 

erecting mystifying barricades with 

respect to the endemic diffusion timing 

of the electric option. 

Amongst mobile industrial applications, 

which is Allison privileged 

field, the CE or the AG industry? 

Our focus has traditionally been on 

the construction field, where we have 

a strong presence amongst mobile 

crane and dumper manufacturers. We 

have a very good reputation at Terex 

and Bell, just to name a few of our 

customers, and we are trying to extend 

that reputation to the excavator world. 

Allison penetration in the 

off-highway market and 

alternative fuels. The 

first 10 trucks at Dakar 

were equipped with the 

American transmission 

This is a land we aim to conquer, and 

which has been colonised first by manual 

gearboxes and then by robotized 

ones, the latter having certainly 

reached an excellent performance 

and, mainly, featuring a much lower 

cost. We have been addressing our attention 

to the agricultural world, but it 

is a sector that requires an extra effort 

to convince its operators to radically 

change their technological approach. 

Is it a price battle then? Why choosing 

an automatic gearbox instead of 

a robotized one? 

It is clearly a question of price. The 

robotized gearbox is an electronically 

and pneumatically dependent manual 

transmission, and the cost substantial 

core is the same as the manual 

gearbox. And to answer your second 

question, I could simply use one single 

word: “Dakar”. If I had to coin a slogan 

to dispel any doubts about the advantages 

of an automatic gearbox with 

torque converter, even on sandy dunes, 

that would be “ten out of ten”, with 

reference to the final grid of the race. 

Being the transmission that has been 

winning the Dakar these last two years 

(last year we equipped eight trucks 

which ended up in the top ten, and this 

year we even made a full win), we are 

also firmly established in hybrid applications 

like Hino, beside trying to conquer 

the hydrogen-powered Gaussin. 

Let’s say the wind has changed. We no 

longer have to knock on anyone’s door; 

now the OEMs ask for our solutions 

directly. This also applies to “sui generis” 

models, the race teams that take 

part in the Dakar with alternative fuels. 

So, what are the gearboxes (by Allison) 

and what are the applications 

(for Allison)? 

As I said, we are on mobile cranes and 

all rigid and articulated dumpers. Regarding 

our product range, we start 

with the 3500, which is the typical 

on-highway gearbox for distribution 

trucks, then up to the 4000, till the 

off-highway models, the 5000, 6000 

and up to the 9000, which definitely 

belongs to a high product range, both 

in terms of price and performance. As 

for the durability, it would be enough 

for a quarry-site application to observe 

an articulated vehicle equipped 

with the 3500 to declare the 4000 as 

the best choice for its mission. It is 

clear that the harder the game gets, 

the more Allison starts to play (John 

“Bluto” Blutarsky’s quote is evoca- 

tive of the American imprinting, ed. 

note). Take one of our typical releases, 

such as Astra, which is used in 

the most challenging environments, 

where service is sometimes an almost 

impossible mission. Proper maintenance 

extends the gearbox life to the 

point it coincides with that of the vehicle 

itself. I can broaden the same 

expectations to Renault. In the past, 

we took the Kerax, which has evolved 

into the K series, to impervious areas 

such as Equatorial Guinea and the 

Middle East. Allison has become synonymous 

with bullet proof gearboxes 

for extreme environmental conditions. 

Talking about the diversification of 

our references, an internal marketing 

resource is in charge of examining all 

industrial applications, from lifting 

to excavation till agriculture. We are 

40 

41

INTERVIEW_DRIVELINE 

#FULLYAUTOMATIC #AXLETECH #VANTAGEPOWERS 

currently assessing both traditional 

and electric gearboxes. We have been 

to GIS in Piacenza to evaluate what 

opportunities the market has to offer. 

Our product is a premium product, 

and this is an exploration phase for us. 

You have extolled the TCO benefits 

of Allison transmissions. In simple 

terms, are these limited to diesel 

savings? 

We have scrupulously focused on 

TCO, as proved by the agreement that 

we have signed with the third private 

waste collection company in France 

(see box). Together we have carried 

out an unprecedented series of tests, 

in terms of intensity and timing of 

measurements, as well as in terms of 

number of vehicles involved. The comparison 

has involved twelve vehicles 

with robotized gearboxes and seven 

vehicles with automatic transmissions, 

for a period of one year, on the field, 

while the assessment of service costs 

has lasted three years. If the vehicle 

has a demanding usage profile, over 

two or three shifts, the service costs 

are kept to a minimum. So far, nothing 

new. What interested us the most 

was the analysis of consumptions. 

We have been attacked on this point 

on several fronts, especially by those 

who have to defend a vehicle which 

is integrated with a robotized gearbox. 

The final result was a 5/6 percent 

consumption gap, due to the torque 

converter, thus far from the 15 percent 

claimed by some, without any supporting 

evidence. Bear in mind that these 

results are expressed in “consumed litres 

per hundred kilometres”, as used 

in France, rather than in “litres per 

tonne”, as referred to for waste collection. 

Despite that, the TCO, including 

all the parameters, has rewarded 

us with a 2/3 percentage point advantage, 

mainly because of the benefits 

in terms of assistance. At this stage, 

we haven’t considered productivity. It 

would have been a “no brainer” since 

the automatic gearbox enables operations 

to be carried out more quickly. 

There is currently no similar study for 

other applications, given the specific 

characteristics of certain vehicles. 

For example, for a quarry/construction 

truck operating in Madagascar, 

the maintenance status makes all the 

difference. If I stop the vehicle for 

about ten days while waiting for it to 

be repaired, the uniqueness of an Allison 

gearbox is not under discussion, 

as it never breaks down. If, on top of 

that, we consider the time saved and 

the extra tonnes transported, there 

is absolutely no contest. Allison has 

carried out rigorous and unbeliever-proof 

studies. 

“The torque output and the current 

engines elasticity allow to add value 

to the potential of Allison gearboxes.” 

Literally his words... 

The point is that the motoring trend 

is towards a maximum torque at the 

lowest rpm, elasticity and consistency 

of performance. If we cross the power 

and torque curves of an FPT Cursor 

13, for example, we can see that they 

are flatter than in the past. This goes 

to our advantage since, by shifting 

under torque without interrupting the 

power and torque curves, we guarantee 

the stability. This way, the potential 

of Allison gearboxes combines 

with the strategies of the engine manufacturers. 

Meritor has become a star in the 

Cummins galaxy. And Allison? Is 

aggregation in the powertrain inevitable 

in order to become a solution 

provider at these times of decarbonisation? 

It depends very much on the choices 

of the manufacturers. Allison has 

chosen to keep up with the times, by 

replicating what Cummins did with 

Meritor, even if in a minor way. We 

have made two strategic acquisitions, 

AxleTech and Vantage Powers, to fill 

the time gap. We are automatic gearbox 

specialists and we had to face the 

time-to-market to avoid falling into 

that unpleasant situation of big announcements 

followed by few reliable 

products. Trust me when I say that I 

have seen hybrids that wouldn’t move 

from the car park! In a relatively short 

time, we have gone from announcing 

the vehicle to testing it. Vantage Powers 

provides the electrification engineering 

for the vehicle. They carry 

out the integration study. AxleTech is 

focused on the product. That’s the expertise 

we needed, and it has allowed 

us to enter the field and play an active 

part in the game. In Europe we have 

a memorandum of understanding with 

Emergency One, one of the leading 

body builder manufacturers for emergency 

vehicles in the UK. In the US we 

collaborate with Hino that is making 

Class 6, Class 7 and Class 8 vehicles. 

A demo has almost completed the testing 

phase. So, when asked if it’s compulsory 

to merge or stand alone, these 

days, the answer is forced: you have 

to integrate a company that has the 

technology, and that is what we have 

done. The electric axle is the most 

popular solution, for reasons of space, 

weight, flexibility and efficiency, but 

until recently the trend was towards 

a central drive. Right now, from our 

point of view, the electric axle offers 

the greatest advantages. Not being an 

engine manufacturer is an advantage, 

as there is no distinction between captive 

and external customers. 

Does decarbonisation only rhyme 

with electrification? How is Allison 

approaching the conversion of its 

natural habitat: the truck? 

To simplify, I could answer affirmatively, 

in fact Allison provides on-highway 

gearboxes to all gas-powered vehicles, 

supporting the performance of engines 

that are less powerful than their diesel 

equivalents. We are thinking about 

a straightforward solution, unlike the 

electric vehicle, which costs three times 

as much as diesel, basically preventing 

the full conversion of a fleet, with some 

unresolved doubts in terms of reliability. 

If we consider the hydrogen, there is 

one manufacturer that is significantly 

ahead, and that is Hyundai (see box). 

Amongst the alternative manufacturers, 

I would also mention Hyzon, and 

Volta Trucks, with whom we have been 

confronting. We have selected some 

accounts that follow electric start-ups. 

We are present in all stages of powertrain 

evolution, and we are aware that 

some of them will disappear, but the 

massive spread of electrification is certainly 

not the one being emphasized at 

trade fairs. There are no problems in 

terms of effectiveness. The technology 

is mature. The issues to be resolved are 

linked to how to structure the service, 

as well as to the charging infrastructure 

and costs. There are also technical 

issues, such as high voltage, which 

will require appropriate training for 

the drivers. We may have some gaps in 

the hybrid segment, where we only offer 

the eGen Flex for buses, a successful 

application in the US, also thanks 

to the government subsidy. That is a 

market for 18-metre buses, whereas in 

Europe the market is characterized by 

12-metre buses. 

42 

43

TECHNO 

#BORGWARNER #QNOVO 

BORGWARNER 

LARGE 

SCALE 

STRATEGY 

WHY TO INVEST IN QNOVO? 

“Electrification is at the forefront of our strategy” is the slogan 

on BorgWarner’s website. Basically, a manifesto. With 

Qnovo’s focus on battery health measurement and fast 

charging, the investment deepens BorgWarner’s capacity 

to further its battery solutions portfolio by partnering with 

Qnovo, a company based in Newark, California. The intelligent 

software offers multiple benefits, including predictive 

safety measures, faster charging and extended battery life. 

Additionally, Qnovo’s software implements adaptive charging 

algorithms and predictive tools into an application that 

runs on AutoSAR or an equivalent vehicle operating system. 

Qnovo develops patented adaptive charging algorithms and 

battery data analytics that improve lifetime battery performance 

with enhanced health and safety. 

Here, the high-voltage 

SiC generator inverter. 

Right, hydrogen-injectionsystems 

and High-Voltage 

Coolant Heater. 

BorgWarner’s bar has definitely 

been raised. By the way, it 

does not mean only electrification 

as is demonstrated by its 

first hydrogen injection system production 

program for an off-road application 

by a European construction 

equipment manufacturer. 

“This business win strengthens the 

longstanding relationship with our 

customer. We’re glad to provide them 

with the full hydrogen injection system, 

including fuel injectors, rail, electronic 

control unit and system integration,” 

said Davide Girelli, Vice President 

and General Manager, BorgWarner 

Fuel Injection Systems. “BorgWarner’s 

offerings in the electric mobility 

segment have increased immensely in 

the last few years. Investing in the development 

of hydrogen applications is 

a further step toward creating a broad 

portfolio of clean and efficient propulsion 

technology.” 

As a solution provider for hydrogen 

technology, BorgWarner cooperates 

with OEMs in all vehicle segments 

and can supply them with either individual 

components or complete 

turnkey solutions that integrate the 

entire fuel injection system, including 

controller, software and calibration. 

Not only electrification, we said, but 

mainly battery packs, we can say that. 

BorgWarner hydrogen 

injection system; SiC 

based inverters; High- 

Voltage Coolant Heater 

Moreover, in the light of the conflict in 

Ukraine and the skyrocketing prices of 

diesel fuel and natural gas for domestic 

heating, public opinion in the Western 

world is pushing to speed up the 

adoption of electrified solutions that 

break free from the choices of OPEC 

and Moscow. 

BorgWarner has secured a contract 

with a major global OEM to supply 

high voltage generator inverters to be 

used in an innovative electrified architecture 

to charge the main batteries. 

The silicon carbide (SiC) based 

inverter is designed to provide high 

levels of continuous current and advanced 

cooling strategies to manage 

the application’s challenging thermal 

demands. “BorgWarner is extremely 

proud to secure this contract and continue 

building upon our collaborative 

and long-standing relationship with 

this customer,” said Stefan Demmerle, 

President and General Manager, Borg- 

Warner PowerDrive Systems. “We are 

eager to continue providing scalable, 

energy efficient and sustainable mobility 

solutions to support our customers 

as they shift toward fully electrified 

vehicle technology.” 

The power-dense inverters use Borg- 

Warner’s Viper family of scalable 

power modules coupled with enhanced 

thermal designs to allow 

continuous operation at 70% of peak 

current, whereas typical applications 

provide only 40-50% of peak current 

continuously. Additionally, the use of 

SiC power switches helps make these 

inverters more efficient than traditional 

silicon-based inverters. According 

to the company, BorgWarner’s inverter 

performance, robustness, scalable 

design, overall value, customer relationship 

and global manufacturing 

footprint are all factors that led to the 

business win. The inverter’s production 

is slated for 2024. 

Finally, we move on from hard and 

pure industrial applications to car 

passengers, the incubator and cradle 

of electrification technologies. Borg- 

Warner has provided its innovative 

High-Voltage Coolant Heater (HVCH) 

for the BMW Group’s iX and i4 fully 

electric architecture. The solution 

controls the battery’s thermal management 

and cabin heating and contributes 

to significantly enhancing the 

driving range and durability of the battery. 

“For more than 20 years we have 

successfully cooperated with the BMW 

Group, providing them with numerous 

solutions for combustion-powered vehicles,” 

said Joe Fadool, President and 

General Manager, BorgWarner Emissions, 

Thermal and Turbo Systems. 

Generally available in power variants 

from 3 to 10 kW for operating ranges 

between 250 and 500V, the HVCH 

supports OEMs in their vehicle development 

by providing a solution that 

features a compact modular design 

with reduced package size and weight. 

It has a high thermal power density and 

– due to its low thermal mass and high 

efficiency – enables fast response times 

when heating up. Key components of 

the HVCH are stainless steel thick film 

heating elements (TFE), which are 

housed in solid die-cast aluminum that 

offers electromagnetic shielding and 

resists thermal shock, vibration and 

mechanical stress. 

44 

45

H2 - TECHNO 

#UFIFILTERS #HYDROGEN #FUELCELLS #ADSORPTION 

UFI FILTERS 

READY 

FOR 

H2 

UFI Filters’ take on filtration 

for fuel cells? Solid particulate 

matter filtration and gaseous 

pollutants adsorption are 

achieved by means of a dual layer 

solution. 

The first layer separates solid particles 

through a structure that’s by all means 

similar to a filter for IC engines. The 

synthetic material’s matrix and thickness 

are, though, different and feature 

absolutely specific adsorption properties 

that guarantee low system-related 

losses. In addition to dust – the sworn 

enemy of any filtering system – saline 

particles also get trapped here. The 

first layer is positioned so as to protect 

the second layer’s activated carbon 

component placed downstream 

– thus preserving its adsorption properties. 

So here we get to the second 

In summary, the basic difference between 

an ICE filter and a fuel cell filter 

lies right in the filtering material; 

in cathode filters, this combines the 

ability to trap particles with the adsorption 

of the gases present in ambient 

air. The toughest applications for 

cathode air filters are those with higher 

quantities of ambient air contaminants 

such as airborne dusts and gases 

– also found in ambient air – that may 

damage a fuel cell’s operation. 

Said gases – like for example SO 2 

– 

change according to the area the vehicle 

works in (city, rural, industrial) 

plus, applications can be influenced 

by weather conditions (e.g. the presence 

of O 3 

). Speaking of road applications, 

by the way, these types of 

filtering media are demanded by car 

and commercial vehicle manufacturlayer, 

which enables the chemical removal 

of gaseous pollutants through 

adsorption. The filtering medium here 

is nonwoven fabric imbued with several 

active carbon mixtures specially 

altered by UFI Filter via thermal and 

chemical inorganic salt-based reactions. 

Such surface treatment allows 

for different pore size. 

In hydrogen 

applications, the 

filtration of solid particles 

and the absorption of 

gaseous contaminants 

by UFI FIlters is 

achieved by means 

of a double layer 

ers alike. Now we’re going to take 

a step backward and elaborate on a 

point stressed by UFI Filters itself. 

The air that gets sucked into the system 

needs to be effectively filtered 

before entering the compressor and 

cell, removing not only particles, but 

also noxious gases like SOx, NOx, 

H 2 

S, CO, O 3 

and NH 3 

, as well as VOC 

(Volatile Organic Compounds) e.g. 

benzene and toluene. Said gases that 

may damage fuel cells are generally 

man-made compounds deriving from 

human activities; their concentration 

in air can vary according to geographical 

settings. A number of studies carried 

out over time show that even extremely 

low quantities of gas particles 

– not just PPMs, but even PPBs – can 

dramatically reduce a fuel cell’s performance 

and life. 

This is due to several causes including 

a crucial one such as the contamination 

of the catalyst – that is what 

triggers the reaction needed to turn 

hydrogen and oxygen into power and 

water. 

The catalyst is a key component of 

fuel cells and it’s made of platinum 

or other precious metals. Impurities 

can compromise its functional performance 

irreversibly causing gradual 

deterioration over time, so bad it can 

undermine the cell’s duration. 

As for the air system, we mustn’t forget 

the compressor is highly sensitive 

to solid air pollutants that can impair 

performance. Fuel cells take from the 

ambient the air they need for the oxygen-hydrogen 

electrochemical reaction. 

It is well known that air is not the 

same everywhere and its qualities de- 

pend on a number of local factors such 

as temperature, altitude, and pollution 

level. UFI has achieved a strongly 

customizable filter that’s forged based 

on the special requirements of hydrogen-fuelled 

systems. 

It is not simply a matter of filtering 

media, as explained earlier. Its special 

features also include different shapes 

and treatments to improve product 

performance, such as pleating: a 

pleated filter’s performance largely 

depend on how pleating is done. 

In addition to the dual layer structure, 

for some applications UFI Filters 

also provides pre-separation units designed 

for use in very dusty locations 

with high levels of solid particles, 

so that air can undergo preliminary 

treatment before getting to the cathode 

air filter. 

46 

47

TECHNO 

#STENARECYCLING #OGAB #BRAKES #TWINDISC #EDILOG 

OGAB: CUTTING PM FROM BRAKE WEAR 

B 

ased in Somerset, in the South 

West of England, Ogab was 

launched publicly in August 

2020 after being initially 

founded in 2015. Project Manager 

Edward Richards-Bond answered a 

couple of questions. 

STENA RECYCLING 

BATTERY AFTER LIFE 

O 

ne of the barriers to the spread impact than existing melting furnace in the first quarter of 2023,” says Fredrik 

Pettersson, CEO of Stena Recy- 

of batteries is their end-of life technology, which produce high carbon 

dioxide emissions. In short, the cling Sweden. 

disposal. The average lifetime 

of a lithium-ion battery technology is based on grinding batteries 

“Electrification is a crucial piece of 

is about 8/10 years. And after that? 

An answer comes from Stena Recycling, 

that’s intensifying its work on 

the construction of the new recycling 

plant in Halmstad, South Sweden. 

The facility is expected to initially 

handle around 10,000 tonnes of batteries 

per year. This will include lithium-ion 

batteries from electric cars 

as well as industrial and consumer 

products. In addition, battery centers 

are being established around Europe 

to ensure an infrastructure for collecting 

the batteries. Stena Recycling 

has chosen a new technology for the 

recycling of lithium-ion batteries 

that is expected to provide a higher 

recycling rate and a lower climate 

in an inert environment. This is 

followed by an advanced process to 

separate the different fractions in order 

to recover valuable metals. From 

the black mass, which is one of the 

fractions from batteries, nickel, cobalt, 

and lithium, among others, are 

extracted in the next step. “We are 

very pleased that the Swedish Energy 

Agency has granted our application 

and see it as important and natural to 

contribute to closing the loop of valuable 

materials contained in batteries. 

We are introducing an advanced technology 

and it is exciting that we are 

now breaking new ground and setting 

the standard in battery recycling. Our 

goal is to have the plant operational 

the puzzle in the work for a fossil-free 

society where batteries will be a central 

part of the future energy system. 

This important project means that 

we can create a battery value chain 

that is sustainable and circular from 

environmentally and climate-smart 

production to recycling, so we are 

not just shifting emissions from one 

activity to another,” says the Swedish 

Energy Agency’s Director General 

Robert Andrén. 

Stena Recycling’s investment in battery 

recycling aims to meet the substantial 

increase of batteries predicted 

in society, and to stay ahead of 

the EU directive that is scheduled to 

come into force from 2025. 

48 

Let’s talk about Ogab Sustainable 

Braking System. 

It can work for commercial vehicles, 

trains, motorsport, airplanes and so 

on, as the concept can be extended 

to nearly all the vehicles which have 

a single disc braking system. What 

we look to enclose the brake caliper 

and use a suction device to remove 

any brake wear inside of this. Inside 

the enclosure, active cooling also 

takes place, direct to the surface of 

the discs. This not only prevents overheating 

and degradation, but also enables 

a number of other things. For 

instance, because you’re controlling 

the thermal environment within the 

brake assembly, you’re removing the 

issue of heat escalation. It also re- 

moves several things in the design 

process, for example the need for 

brake ducts, allowing a more streamlined 

design that can have a positive 

effect on the aesthetics of the vehicle 

as well as aerodynamic performance. 

It can even give the potential of covering 

the wheels. 

How can all this affect sustainability? 

EDILOG EMBRACES SUSTAINABILITY WITH TWIN DISC PUMP DRIVE 

Essentially, we’re trying to reduce 

the particulate emissions from brake 

wear, which is a huge factor in traffic 

related air pollution. Particularly 

when it comes to heavy goods vehicles 

(HGVs), where it is sometimes underestimated 

how much the braking system 

actually affects emissions. We’re 

trying to get to a net-zero braking 

concept, which we are putting across 

the whole transport sector. 

EdiLog log stacker embraces sustainability Twin Disc AM365 Pump Drive. The approximate savings are around 5% by 

re-utilizing kinetic energy, 5% by reducing idling and 25% with a more efficient start and stop. The recorded results 

are a fuel saving of 28%, lower operating and maintenance costs, reduced CO 2 

emissions by 120 tons annually. 

Pump Drive family by Twin Disc is well known for milestones such as M080 Rear Engine Power Take-Off (REPTO) 

drive. This REPTO drive has a maximum power rating of 1,533 hp (1144kW) at 2,200 rpm. It’s built for severe 

applications, including driving hydraulic pumps, grinders, crushers, dredgers, chippers, shredders and drills. It 

complements a full system of Twin Disc products that work in conjunction with each other including power takeoffs, 

marine gears, and transmissions. A key enhancement of the AM080 is its high-power capabilities. Each pump tower 

has a 400 hp (298kW) maximum capacity and a combined 450 hp (336kW) capacity for both towers. The drive is 

rotatable by 0°, 45°, 90°, either clockwise or counter-clockwise and 180° which makes it adaptable for clearance in 

any installation. The pads and splines are easily interchangeable in the field to accommodate varying pump sizes. 

49

















INTERNATIONAL 

QUOTE 

POWERTRAIN 

SUPPLEMENT 

I'm 

ECLECTIC 

 

The 

BOSS 

Fpt Industrial F28 Diesel of the year 2020 - Briggs&Stratton - 

Comparisons: 2-2.5 liters - Interviews: Cummins - Deere - MTU - Perkins 

JCB&Cummins - Conexpo&Off-Road - MEE Dubai&PG - Europe&China 

 

 

 

FPT F28 Diesel of the year 2020 - Interview: Nanni Energy CEO - 

Report: SCR - Fish-Eye: MCY and MAN V8 - Comparisons: 100 HP 

Hybrid: Hyundai Seasall, Huracan, Mercury - N igata - Kohler Power 

2000 

HP 

INTERNATIONAL 

INTERNATIONAL 


www.vadoetorno.com - ISSN 0042 

Poste Italiane s.p.a. 

Sped. in a. p. - D.L. 353/2003 

(conv. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

art. 1, comma 1, LO/MI 


March 2020 

F28 Diesel of the year 2020: also hybrid - Interview: Dana INC. - 

Report from Conexpo: JD, Kubota - Comparisons: 1-cylinder 

and 9 liters - Lindner&Perkins - MEE Dubai - LNG - DPFs 

 

 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



August 2020 

 

 

Diesel of the year 2020: an abstract of the FPT F28 - MAN Engines for 

buses: off-road, with Torsus, and CNG hybrid - Weichai and Bosch 

for the peak of efficiency - Cat, MTU and the 24-32L marine engines 

Hydrogen: Could it be the elixir of life for ICE? - FPT F28: DOTY 2020 

- Efciency: a case study - Comparison: from 6 to 7 liters - 

Fish-Eye: Doosan&Perkins - Alternatives: John Deere’s recipe 

INTERNATIONAL 

POWERTRAIN 

THIS IS 

MAN 

INTERNATIONAL 

Diesel of the year 2021: John Deere 18.0L - MAN: cover story - 

Comparisons: between 1.5 and 1.9 liters - Alternatives: F28 

biomethane - Marine: MTU, Cummins, Hug Engineering, Vulkan 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



January 2021 

WELCOME 

back, Deere 

Diesel of the year 2021: John Deere 18.0L - MTU Series 500 - 

Interviews: Yanmar Europe and NGV Powertrain - Comparison: 

from 9 to 11 liters - Fish-Eye: Massey Ferguson and Iseki - Hydrogen 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 




www.vadoetorno.com - ISSN 0042 

Poste Italiane s.p.a. 

Sped. in a. p. - D.L. 353/2003 

(conv. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

art. 1, comma 1, LO/MI 



May 2021 

NEW AGCO 

era 

INTERNATIONAL 

Diesel of the year 2021: John Deere 18.0L - AGCO Power: 100 

mi lion euro to relaunch Linnavuori - Kohler: All about 

the engines division - Sustainability: e-SUV & more 

May 2020 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



November 2020 



POWERTRAIN 

POWERTRAIN 

INTERNATIONAL 

HYBRID 

MAN 

MAN Smart Hybrid Experience - Stage V: AGCO Power, 

Cummins and AS - Comparison: 170HP - Fish-Eye: asking 

Fincantieri Yachts - Sustainabilty by MTU, WRF, Earth300 



ISSN 0042 

Pre s Register n. 4596 – April 20th 1994 


D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

POWERTRAIN 

ELECTRIC 

Griffin 

INTERNATIONAL 

September 2021 

ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

March 2021 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

POWERTRAIN 

IFUTURE 

is now 

Isotta Fraschini Motori 16V170 G Engine Road Show - 

Comparison: 1.5 liters industrial engines - Fish-Eye: hybrid 

POWERTRAIN 

Kohler Sma l Displacement - Sustainable Cat - H2 for 

freight & passengers - Web event: Is offroad multitasking? - 

Deutz between ICE and alternatives - Scania Power Solutions 

Huddig backhoe, with Cummins - Marine: Cannes and Genoa 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



January 2022 

BAUDOUIN 

20M33 

Face to face with Baudouin - FPT Smart Hybrid Energy Hub - 

Bergen & Langley - Green AG in USA - Alternative Cummins - 

Comparison: 13 litre truck - Cat IPU & Perkins IOPU - UFI Filters 





ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 



ISSN 0042 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

March 2022 

July 2021 

November 2021 

A 

ABBÀ, Andrea - 38 

AGRI-EVE - 37 

ALLISON - 4, 34, 40, 41, 42, 43 

B 

BAUMA - 12 

BMW - 14, 15, 45 

BORGWARNER - 44, 45 

BOSCH - 16 

BRIST - 4 

C 

CATERPILLAR - 20, 21, 23, 30, 

32, 33, 34 

CHEVRON - 27 

CHINA PETROCHEMICAL 

CORPORATION - 29 

CUMMINS - 6, 12, 26, 27, 28, 

29, 34, 43 

D 

DAIMLER TRUCK - 28, 29 

DANA - 8, 34 

DEMMERLE, Warner - 45 

DEUTZ - 12, 13 

DIESS, Herbert - 15 

E 

EIMA - 12, 24 

EVE - 4 

F 

FADOOL, Joe - 45 

FORD - 15 

FPT - 12, 13, 38, 39 

FRANCHI, Guido - 12, 13 

G 

GALLI, Massimo - 36 

GENERAL MOTORS - 15 

GIRELLI, Davide - 44 

H 

HATZ - 30, 32, 33 

HOGBERG, Fredrik - 8 

HONDA - 24, 25 

HYDROGENICS CORPORA- 

TION - 29 

HYUNDAI - 41 

I 

INTERMAT - 12 

J 

JACOBS VEHICLE SYSTEMS - 28 

JCB - 12 

JOHN DEERE - 12, 13 

JOHNSON MATTHEY - 29 

K 

KOHLER - 10, 11, 12, 13, 30, 31, 

32, 33 

KOMATSU - 25 

KUBOTA - 13, 31, 32, 33 

L 

LIEBHERR - 13 

M 

MAN - 13 

MERITOR - 4, 27, 28, 34 

MERRITT, Darrel - 35 

MILTON, Trevor - 39 

MTU - 13 

N 

NEAL, Eric - 6 

NIKOLA - 34, 38, 39 

NPROXX - 28 

P 

PERKINS - 12, 31, 32, 33 

PERRONE, Vincenzo - 11 

PETTERSSON, Fredrik - 48 

R 

RICARDO - 4 

RICHARDS, Edward - 49 

S 

SCANIA - 16, 17, 18, 19 

SHIBAURA - 32 

SIGNORELLI, Lou - 20 

SION POWER CORPORA- 

TION - 29 

SMITH, Tom - 20, 21 

STELLANTIS - 14 

STENA RECYCLING - 48, 49 

T 

TAVARES, Carlos - 14 

TOYOTA - 14 

TWIN DISC - 49 

U 

UFI FILTERS - 46, 47 

V 

VLASKAMP, Alexander - 17 

VOLKSWAGEN - 15 

VOLTA TRUCKS - 4 

VOLVO - 8, 34, 35 

W 

WALTON, William - 25 

WEBER, Frank - 15 

Y 

YANMAR - 31, 32, 33 

Z 

ZF - 4 

Engines and components for OEM 

Culture, technology, purposes 

And market of Diesel engines 

Established in 1986 

Editor in chief 

Fabio Butturi 

Editorial staff 

Stefano Agnellini, Ornella Cavalli, 

Fabrizio Dalle Nogare 

Cristina Scuteri, Roberto Sommariva 

Contributors 

Carolina Gambino, 

Maria Grazia Gargioni, 

Erika Pasquini 

Layout & graphics 

Marco Zanusso (manager) 

Editorial management 

Fabio Zammaretti 

Printing 

Industrie Grafiche RGM srl, 

Rozzano (Mi) 

Milano City Court Authorization 

n. 860 – December 18th 1987 National 



D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 

46) Art. 1, subsection 1, LO/MI 

VADO E TORNO 

EDIZIONI 

MANAGEMENT 

ADMINISTRATION 

via Brembo 27 - 20139 Milan. 

Tel. 02/55230950 

Website 


ADVERTISING 

Management 

via Brembo 27 

20139 Milan 

tel. 02 55230950 

e-mail: pubblicita@vadoetornoedizioni.it 

Head of Sales 

Luca Brusegani 

Sales agents 

Roberto Menchinelli (Rome) 

Maurizio Candia 

Angelo De Luca 

Emanuele Tramaglino 

DIESEL Annual subscription 

Italy 35 euro, International 55 euro 

Air Mail Annual subscription 

65 euro 

Back issues 

7 euro 

Payments 

Current account 50292200 

Vado e Torno Edizioni srl, 

via Brembo 27, 20139 Milan. 

e-mail: abbonamenti@vadoetorno.com 

E-Mail 

info@diesel-international.com 

Copyright 2022 Vado e Torno Edizioni 

Notice to subscribers 

Vado e Torno Edizioni srl, within the framework of its 

commitment to transparency and in compliance with the 

new European Regulation on the protection of personal 

data, known as GDPR 2016/679, in force from 25 

May 2018, has updated the policy regarding personal 

data processing and has adapted the methods of data 

management in accordance with the new requirements. 

We invite you to take a look at the new policy, which 

you can consult (www.vadoetorno.com). It provides 

clearer and more specific information on the processing 

of your personal data and your rights in this regard. 

If you no longer wish to be contacted from Vado e 

Torno Edizioni srl click write an email to: 

privacy@vadoetorno.com. 

Copyright 2022 Vado e Torno Edizioni 

SUPPRESS BLACK SMOKE 

Electronically-Controlled Small Diesel Engine 

D902-K 

The Kubota D902-K is an all-in-one electronically-controlled diesel engine below 19kW. With its 

new proprietary TVCR combustion technology and unique fuel injection, it meets a wide range of 

needs, facilitating easy model upgrades without increasing development costs for the customer. 

Black smoke is reduced to an invisible level 

Fuel efficiency improved by about 5 % compared to conventional model 

Highly efficient and stable operations; integrated/intelligent control 

China's national 

smoke regulations 

Category III* 



Category III* 



Category III* 

* Limits and Measurement Methods for Exhaust Smoke from Non Road Mobile Machinery Equipped with Diesel Engine 

hiips://global.engine.kubota.co.jp/en/technology/tvcr/

HISTORY 

+ 

S E R V I C E 

+ 

S U P P O R T 

+ 

TECHNOLOGY 

+ 

D I S T R I B U T O R S 

CONNECTION. 

IT’S WHERE THE REAL POWER LIVES. 

IT’S WHERE THE REAL POWER LIVES. 

There’s an unbreakable bond between John Deere products and 

the people who choose them. It gives you the power to take your 

equipment where it needs to go, with premium John Deere quality 

standing behind you. And the power to work confidently knowing a 

global network of more than 9,000 John Deere dealers are ready to 

offer service and support whenever you need it. That’s the unique 

connection you get with John Deere power. 

JohnDeere.com/Connection

Powertrain | Diesel International 2022-05

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?