Powertrain International 2024-4

Powertrain 

INTERNATIONAL 

What is called 

ALTERNATIVE 

ACT Expo: So much ‘e’, so much ‘H2’ - FPT Teardown - 

Intermat: Cummins, Moog, Yanmar CE - Isotta Fraschini 

at DCN Milan - Diesel of the Year & Alternative Engine Award 

VADO E TORNO EDIZIONI 

www.vadoetorno.com 

www.powertraininternationalweb.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 

POWERTRAIN-Diesel SUPPLEMENT 

July 2024 

1


INTERNATIONAL 

JULY 2024 

powertraininternationalweb.com 

CONTENTS 


1 

The gentle 

EVOLUTION 

In UK, where JCB tested hydrogen machines - AGCO Core 75 - 

e-way: the tractors scenario and Eleo’s battery plant opening - 

H2: NGV, Liebherr, Prinoth&FPT - Comparisons: 11 liter engines 

On the 

e-WAY 

e- 

1 

Hungary is going to be the European battery hub - FPT XC13 

Do the right 

and 13L truck engines comparison - 5L offroad engines - 

Preview from Intermat Paris - Electric telescopic handlers 

THING 

1 

1 

INTERNATIONAL 

INTERNATIONAL 


ACT Expo - Cummins X15 driveline - FPT Industrial ePowertrain 

- IVECO Capital Markets Day - Baudouin for data centres - DPE 

& KEY: ABB, MOVe, BU Energy, Siemens - Kohler strategy 

1 

Echoes from 

TAIWAN 





ISSN 0042 



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



March 2023 



Chronicles from Taipei, the city with an electric heart - 

E-trucks: Iveco and Nikola take different paths & ACT 

Expo - ConExpo: Danfoss, Deere, Kubota, Parker, Volvo 





ISSN 0042 

H2 means 

LIFE 



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



March 2024 





ISSN 0042 



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



Hydrogen takes the spotlight at Agritechnica: AGCO, 

May 2024 

Cummins, Deutz, FPT, JCB, Kohler, Kubota, MAN - 

Battery Experts Forum - The e-truck start-up crunch 






ISSN 0042 



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



July 2023 





ISSN 0042 



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



INTERNATIONAL 

January 2024 

INTERNATIONAL 

28 

GENERIC 

ICE 

H2 HYDROGEN 

kWe ELECTRIC 

GAS 

20 

FOLLOW POWERTRAIN INTERNATIONAL ON: 

44 

AWARDS 

8. DIESEL OF THE YEAR 

The Award moves to November at EIMA 

10. ALTERNATIVE ENGINE AWARD 

Which will be the “smarter” alternative? 

AUTOMOTIVE 

12. ACT EXPO 

The place to be 

POWER GENERATION 

18. ISOTTA FRASCHINI 

Skills and reliability for data centres 

SERVICE&TRAINING 

20. FPT INDUSTRIAL 

It’s “teardown” time 

EXHIBITIONS 

26. INTERMAT 

Deutz, Hyundai, Liebherr, LiuGong, Weichai, ZF 

28. CUMMINS 

Next Generation X15 and B6.7H 

32. MOOG 

Solutions for electric retrofit 

34. YANMAR CE 

The “range of the future” is BEV 

OFF-HIGHWAY 

38. DEVELON 

Absolutely open-minded 

COMPONENTS 

42. ABB 

Infrastructure from grid to wheel 

44. ZF 

CeTrax 2 dual: from medium- to heavy-duty 

COLUMNS 

4. Editorial 5. Newsroom 46. Marine 48. Sustainable 

Techno 50. Techno: Paccar and Kenworth 

Editorial 

Does artificial intelligence dream of “electric 

sheeps”? Between “Blade Runner” and 

current affairs 

3

EDITORIAL 

by Fabio Butturi 

NEWSROOM #AMPLIFY #ACCELERA #DAIMLER #PACCAR #DEUTZ #MTU 

DOES AI DREAM OF ELECTRIC MOTORS? 

AMPLIFY CELL TECHNOLOGY 

DAIMLER TRUCK, 

PACCAR, 

Dear Philip K. Dick, it has been 56 years since 

you wrote “Do Androids Dream of Electric 

Sheep?” (better known as “The Android 

Hunter”). It’s been a long time since that 

tumultuous 1968. So let’s get to the point: does 

artificial intelligence dream of electric motors in 2024? 

Instinctively one would be inclined to say yes, from 

the much we are steeped in fiction. In reality, artificial 

intelligence is reconciled with infrastructure, rather than 

structure. In short, AI would be a genuine and faithful 

performer of technological neutrality. Digitization, 

predictive assistance, platooning, electronic control. 

Without moving away from Philip Dick’s milieu, society 

2.0 is still far from the atmospheres of “Blade Runner.” 

This does not detract from the fact that the BEV (Battery 

Electric Vehicle) formula, within a sentimental sine 

wave oscillating between promises of eternal love and 

sudden reversals, continues its climb to the empyrean of 

applications, on-road, mobile industrial units, gensets 

and, albeit more cautiously, marine. Artificial intelligence, 

when thinking about itself, also poses the question of 

how could another AI hack it, penetrating its heart like 

an enemy’s sword during a medieval duel? Dreaming 

of electric motors is reassuring. Silent, no headbanging, 

no delayed ignition, just the hiss of the transmission, 

more soporific than a lullaby. However, there are also 

unknowns, which electrification brings with it. Indeed, 

in more than a century of maturing internal combustion 

engine technology, unforeseen contingencies were 

calculated, thus predictable. The kingpin of automotive 

acceleration of battery packs, Tesla, suffers pressure from 

emerging Chinese competitors (and falling stock, which 

dispels the myth of perennial soaring). Also perturbing 

the electric sleep is the risk of “incentive shock,” as is 

happening in Germany, where e-car sales are plummeting. 

What if the danger comes from within, from that 

compromise between hydrogen and electric called fuel 

cells? In conclusion, just to clarify, please know that the 

writer is not ChatGPT, is human, not an android, and still 

dreams of the sheep of old, the ones that go “baa.” 

Amplify Cell 

Technologies is the 

name of the battery 

joint venture shared 

by Daimler Truck, 

Paccar and Accelera 

by Cummins 

ACCELERA 

Daimler Truck, Paccar and 

Accelera by Cummins have 

completed the transaction to 

form quite a significant joint 

venture, aimed at localizing battery 

cell production and the battery 

supply chain in the United States. 

Amplify Cell Technologies is the 

official name of the new company. 

The target is to begin construction 

of a 21-gigawatt hour (GWh) factory 

in Marshall County, Mississippi, 

with potential for further 

expansion as demand grows. The 

factory is expected to create more 

than 2,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs 

and is targeting the start of produc- 

tion in 2027. Moreover, Amplify 

Cell Technologies has named Kel 

Kearns as the new Chief Executive 

Officer. Kearns will lead Amplify 

in producing differentiated lithium-iron-phosphate 

(LFP) battery 

cells that create value for commercial 

vehicle customers in North 

America. Kearns’ career spans several 

decades holding various roles 

in automotive and manufacturing 

industries, with his most recent responsibility 

focused on large-scale 

electric vehicle manufacturing. 

Accelera, Daimler Truck and Paccar 

each own 30% of the business. 

EVE Energy serves as the technology 

partner with 10% 

ownership and contributes 

its industry-leading 

battery 

cell design and manufacturing 

expertise 

to the venture. 

EVE Energy is a 

China-based global 

technology leader in 

the manufacture of 

LFP battery cells for 

the vehicle industry. 

4 

5

NEWSROOM 

#DELTAELECTRONICS #TEXASINSTRUMENTS #LHYFE #DEUTSCHEBAHN 

ROLLS-ROYCE AND CATL AGREEMENT FOR BESS PROJECTS IN THE EU AND UK 

Rolls-Royce, through its Power 

Systems division, and CATL have 

signed a strategic co-operation 

agreement to launch CATL’s new 

Tener product line in the European 

Union and UK. The partnership will 

strengthen the ability of both companies 

to realise large and complex 

grid-scale battery energy storage 

system (BESS) projects. The two 

companies have already successfully 

delivered several projects in the 

EU using CATL’s EnerOne product 

line, with several others already under 

contract. Rolls-Royce’s Power 

DEUTZ 

TCG 7.8 

ANOTHER PIECE FOR 

DEUTZ’S HYDROGEN ICE 

STRATEGY. ITS’ THE LINE 6 

Deutz has brought a further assembly 

line on stream at its 

Cologne site. The updated production 

technology used for 

assembly line 6 will enable large 4-8 

liter engines to be built for the 2013 V4 

and 7.8 series. Full production of the 

Systems division has already started 

to offer Tener products, characterised 

by their increased safety, 

long service life and heightened 

efficiency, as part of its mtu EnergyPack 

QG solution for largescale 

energy storage, primarily for 

grid operators. The new strategic 

partnership includes the potential 

development of further innovative 

smart products, based on Rolls- 

Royce’s intelligent automation 

solution, mtu EnergetIQ, and its 

digital platform, mtu Go!, as well 

as CATL’s intelligent diagnostic 

Deutz TCG 7.8 H2 hydrogen engine 

will initially be carried out on the assembly 

line too. 

“The new assembly line 6 gives us 

much greater flexibility in terms of 

volume and engine variants, allowing 

us to respond to changing market requirements 

more effectively. It also 

represents a further milestone in our 

Dual+ strategy,” states Petra Mayer, 

COO of Deutz. “Full production 

of our TCG 7.8 H2 hydrogen engine, 

which is now under way, only requires 

an adjustment to the test rig. The 

engines can be produced on the same 

assembly line. This is another advantage 

of the ICE technology.” 

platform and battery management 

system. Last year, Rolls-Royce and 

CATL signed a long-term supply 

agreement to collaborate on more 

than 10 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of 

storage capacity. Together, the two 

companies have built a close working 

relationship on the integration 

of Tener products into fully fledged 

EPC-turnkey projects with an 

all-inclusive service offering. Depending 

on the specifications and 

exact usage, the new Tener product 

can achieve zero degradation in the 

first five years of use. 

PENTA & MOL 

MOL, a manufacturer of 

heavy industry and port 

handling equipment, in 

partnership with Volvo 

Penta, has commenced 

trials of its full electric 4X4 

RoRo tractor, the RME225. 

The vehicle features a Volvo 

Penta driveline consisting of 

three battery packs totalling 

270 kWh of installed energy, 

an EPT802 gearbox, and 

two 200 kW propulsion 

motors. A separate 50 

kW motor powers the 

hydraulic system and 

the fifth wheel. Designed 

for high productivity and 

performance, the RME225 

aims to operate a full shift 

and provide an alternative 

to its diesel counterparts. 

This collaboration 

represents a significant step 

towards more sustainable 

and efficient port logistics. 

US AND 

TAIWAN 

DELTA ELECTRONICS AND 

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 

WORK TOGETHER 

LHYFE AND DEUTSCHE BAHN TO COOPERATE ON GREEN HYDROGEN 

Delta Electronics and Texas Instruments 

(TI) join forces for 

EV power systems. With TI’s 

technologies and experience 

in digital control and gallium nitride 

(GaN) and Delta’s core competence 

in high-efficiency power electronics, 

the joint lab will enhance the power 

density and performance of Delta’s 

own EV power systems, to ultimately 

strengthen its core competitiveness 

in the field of electric vehicles. 

Amichai Ron, senior vice president 

for Embedded Processing at Texas 

Instruments said: “together with 

Delta, we will use TI semiconductors 

to develop EV power systems 

like onboard chargers and DC/DC 

converters that are smaller, more efficient 

and more reliable, increasing 

vehicle driving range and encouraging 

more widespread adoption of 

electric vehicles.” 

James Tang, Executive Vice President 

of Mobility at Delta and Head 

of its Electric Vehicle Solutions 

Business Group, stated, “Delta has 

been developing high-efficiency automotive 

power products, systems 

and solutions since 2008 to help reduce 

transportation-related carbon 

emissions. Through the establishment 

of this joint innovation labo- 

Lhyfe has built and will operate a 

green hydrogen production plant for 

Deutsche Bahn in Tübingen. The 

electrolysis plant in the innovation 

hub of DB Energie, a Group subsidiary, 

has an annual production 

capacity of up to 30 tons (installed 

electrolysis capacity of 1 MW). 

The green electricity comes from 

Deutsche Bahn’s green electricity 

portfolio. At the Tübingen innovation 

hub, DB Energie is testing new 

technologies for sustainable rail energy 

supply, including in the “H2goesRail” 

project. Using the green 

hydrogen produced, a climate-neutral 

hydrogen train will be put into 

operation this year on a test route 

in Baden-Württemberg – between 

Tübingen, Horb and Pforzheim. 

“This project demonstrates the economic 

viability of hydrogen solutions 

in the transport and mobility 

sector. Sustainable energy sources 

and innovative technologies are 

needed to decarbonize the transport 

sector. One of these technologies is 

hydrogen-powered trains, which are 

ratory with Texas Instruments, Delta 

intends to leverage TI’s abundant 

experience and advanced technology 

in digital control and GaN to 

enhance the power density and performance 

of our EV power systems. 

With more leading-edge product development 

and design capabilities, 

we aim to achieve closer technology 

exchange and collaboration to accelerate 

product development and 

improve product safety and quality.” 

a clean and efficient alternative to 

conventional diesel-powered trains 

as they are virtually CO 2 

-free. The 

H2goesRail project is a pioneer in 

the field of passenger and freight 

transportation,” says Luc Graré, 

Head of Central and Eastern Europe 

at Lhyfe. 

The site in Tübingen is Lhyfe’s first 

plant in Germany. Another 10 MW 

plant is currently being built in 

Schwäbisch Gmünd, which will produce 

up to 4 tons of green hydrogen 

per day. 

6 

7

DIESEL OF THE YEAR 

#DIESELOFTHEYEAR #EIMAINTERNATIONAL 

DIESEL OF THE YEAR 2025 

LET'S 

MOVE TO 

NOVEMBER 

Except for the first two editions, 

since 2008 the Diesel 

of the Year award has always 

been hosted at earth-moving 

machinery shows. Going back 

and forth among CECE events, the 

hosting venue was Bauma Munich, 

Intermat in Paris and Samoter in 

Verona. The prestigious nature of 

these fairs, shining with plenty of 

application options, was well-suited 

to enliven an award whose schedule 

kept swinging between different 

dates and venues. 

We thought it over carefully and 

we made up our mind to go back to 

our roots, making good use of Hanover’s 

Agritechnica and Bologna’s 

EIMA International taking turns 

every two years. The agricultural 

machinery segment is also the one 

The Diesel of the Year 

award goes back to 

its roots. The 2025 

event is scheduled for 

November, at EIMA in 

Bologna. The awarding 

ceremony is switching 

from earth-moving to 

agricultural machinery 

shows. No change, 

though, in approach 

or criteria, still 

prizing reliability and 

sustainability in internal 

combustion engines 

that’s showing the strongest loyalty 

to the internal combustion engine. 

Electrified units are only timidly 

making their way among special 

equipment, telehandlers and small 

harvesters, especially those working 

in greenhouses. 

We thought we would be well ad- 

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 

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 

vised to skip a year, starting afresh 

from 2025, in November this year. 

However, had we picked a winner 

for 2024, what would that be? 

The Core family by AGCO Power 

would have definitely earned an 

award. Redesigning an engine platform 

from scratch deserves a special 

mention. Sure their 5 and 7.5 

litres engines would not manage to 

take the Diesel Index off the hands 

of competitors, and still they are 

two “fresh” units boasting accurate 

boosting and injection system 

settings. Plus, they’re equipped to 

run on biofuels. Who’s going to get 

Samoter 

2017 

LIEBHERR 

LIEBHERR 

D9812 D9812 

DEUTZ 

DEUTZ 

Tcd9.0 Tcd9.0 

Intermat 

2018 

Bauma 

2019 

Munich 

KUBOTA 

KUBOTA 

V5009 V5009 

ConExpo 

2020 

Samoter 


INDUSTRIAL 

F28 F28 

2021 

the plaque in BolognaFiere? When 

mentioning the fact there’s a missing 

piece of the puzzle – the 2024 

edition – we also mentioned a 5 and 

a 7.5 litre; we’ll add another modular 

engine family, with the same 

displacement. We’re talking about 

HD Hyundai, that exactly one year 

ago had the DX5 

and DX8 miniature 

versions on 

display at Conexpo. 

It’s been confirmed 

that the 

real-size versions 

will be launched 

during 2024, 

starting from Intermat 

Paris. So 

let’s stay in Las 

Vegas, where the 

dynamic Caterpillar 

and Perkins duo unveiled 

their 13 litres going under the name 

of Cat C13D and Perkins 2606, respectively. 

The en bloc details are 

being finalized. The pilot versions 

will be available as of 2025. There’s 

another duo taking the stage with 

interesting engines: John Deere and 

Deutz. The 3.9-litre engine is a candidate 

for succession to the Cologne 

team’s bestseller, the TCD3.6, absorbing 

the 4.1 litre. John Deere 

Power Systems too considers this 

displacement to be central in both 

the captive and the free-market engines 

segments. 

JOHN JOHN DEERE 

DEERE 

18.0L 18.0L 

2022 

KOHLER 

KOHLER 

KSD KSD 1403TCA 1403TCA 

2023 

SCANIA 

SCANIA 

Power Power Solutions 

Solutions 

Next Next Generation Generation DC13 DC13 

? 

2024 2025 

8 

9

ALTERNATIVES 

#ALTERNATIVES #HVO #GAS #HYDROGEN 

ALTERNATIVE ENGINE OF THE YEAR 

LOW 

EMISSIONS 

Abandoning the 

internal combustion 

engine? On 

POWERTRAIN 

International, ICE, 

if anything, doubles 

down! Alternative 

Engine Award takes 

its cue from the 

opportunities of 

decarbonisation. HVO, 

biomethane, hybrids 

and H2, which is the 

trump card. These are 

the premises. Who will 

win the first edition? 

Decarbonising is the watchword 

of any powered mobile application. 

What has become a 

generally monotonous mantra 

was originally associated with another 

expression: “technological neutrality”. 

Things, along the way, have 

taken a different turn. Electrification, 

at least within the European Union’s 

perimeter, and later California’s, has 

taken over the decision-makers’ agenda. 

POWERTRAIN International 

magazine has a mature view of the 

powertrain metamorphosis. Energy 

users who will also become producers 

of the energy itself, the adoption of a 

propulsion system under the banner 

of tactical considerations, even before 

engineering and performance (i.e. 

linked to the presence of an efficient 

infrastructure, be it natural gas or biomethane, 

other biofuels, electricity 

or hydrogen), a price delta that not 

only induce but also requires the rescue 

of public incentives. 

In this scenario, we have embraced the 

BEV approach with conviction, but in 

a very secular way. Why insist on ignoring 

the most efficient and proven 

piece of technology to date? We are 

talking, of course, about the internal 

combustion engine. We do not have, 

nor could we have, enough HVO and 

biomethane to meet the needs of vehicle 

traction. Enough, however, to 

significantly reduce the carbon footprint, 

without triggering the food/no 

food spiral. Whether available in gaseous 

or liquefied state, gas has fuelled 

controversy: detractors claim that its 

unburnt fractions pose a threat. Proponents 

emphasise the absence of ni- 

trogen oxides and particulate matter 

when compared to diesel. Surely, we 

argue that it is a valuable and indispensable 

resource in the energy diet 

that will take us to the zero-emission 

goal. At present, this means an electric 

engine with a battery pack or fuel cell. 

Hydrogen also rhymes with heat engine. 

The ICE H2 formula is climbing 

the hierarchy of preferences. Again, 

there is no shortage of voices against 

it. In the dock there is efficiency, 

which certainly penalises this solution. 

The 50% goal inaugurated by the 

award-winning Bosch and Weichai 

duo, followed in chronological order 

by Scania, then Caterpillar and Perkins, 

and so on, until this benchmark 

is reached, is certainly not replicable 

by the same identical internal combustion 

engine, which is suitably revised 

to digest hydrogen. Transformed into 

fuel, it retains a “grumpy” character, 

but enormous potential. It is stable, 

does not generate sludge, contains no 

oxygen, and inhibits bacterial growth. 

At the exhaust, it concedes something 

in terms of NOx; it is very little, compared 

to diesel combustion. Above 

all, the engine architecture is readily 

available and could exploit the similarities, 

and relative compatibility, 

with methane, whether bio or fossil, 

liquid or gaseous. This is the introductory 

framework. Let us return to 

what we wrote at the beginning: the 

Alternative Engine Award is part of a 

holistic perspective. A concept that, 

when applied to an ICE, is effectively 

expressed in a multi-fuel unit. The 

versatility of the engine block, which 

can be adapted to the combustion of 

different fuels, starting with diesel, is 

certainly rewarding. The architecture 

of such an engine certainly shares the 

crankcase and almost all the components. 

The most significant changes 

are in the vital organs, injection and 

turbocharging. It must certainly lend 

itself to the adoption of the Otto cycle, 

i.e. spark ignition, for gaseous 

fuelling. It must be compatible with 

hydrogen chamber injection. In short, 

the ideal formula would be the following: 

diesel, HVO and biodiesel, 

CNG/LNG, H2 ICE, perhaps with 

the option of a back-up battery pack 

(PHEV/MHEV). A portrait further 

enhanced by a multitasking vocation: 

as with the conventional diesel cycle 

engine, declination in a plurality of 

applications would be, as they say in 

resumes, “nice to have”. 

10 

11

AUTOMOTIVE 

#CUMMINS ACCELERA #SYMBIO #MICHELIN #FPTINDUSTRIAL 

ACT EXPO 

ADVANCED 

AND 

CLEAN 

SYMBIO’S FIRST HYDROGEN TRUCK 

In partnership with Michelin, Symbio launched its first hydrogen 

fuel-cell heavy-duty truck to demonstrate the performance 

and reliability of zero-emission fuel cell technology 

for demanding heavy-duty transportation. Symbio has 

designed, developed, and integrated a heavy-duty long-haul 

truck ready fuel cell powertrain, powered by Symbio’s fuel 

cell technology, into a Freightliner Cascadia class-8 tractor. 

The diesel engine has been replaced with Symbio’s 400 

kW StackPack fuel cell system consisting of four packaged 

sub-systems of Symbio’s proprietary stack technology proven 

in the field with more than 5 million miles (8 million km) 

on-road experience. The heavy duty 400kW power system’s 

control strategy is optimized to deliver superior energy balance 

and power, meeting the functional requirements of 

the diesel truck. With a 70kg hydrogen tank onboard, the 

fuel cell truck is capable of over 450 miles per fueling event. 

Expected to hit the road by the end of 2024, the truck will 

run for 12 months on a challenging 400-mile (650 km) route 

between the Inland Empire and Northern San Joaquin Valley. 

“Equipped with Michelin low rolling resistance Tires and 

with the Symbio Hydrogen fuel cells, this breakthrough will 

accelerate the transition to a greener long-haul transportation 

with extended range and fast charging time,” said Alexis 

Garcin, President and CEO, Michelin North America. 

What is the state of the art 

and what does the conjuncture 

tell us about the 

evolution of the driveline 

in freight transportation? In passenger 

transport, BEV is now an established 

formula in the urban environment. 

And what about trucks? The 

Advanced Clean Transportation Expo 

is the best place to take note of this 

trend in the North American market. 

This year it was held in Las Vegas; 

next year, from April 28 to May 1, it 

will return home to the Anaheim Convention 

Center. What did ACT tell us 

about the powertrain? Let’s start with 

Cummins. It is called HELM and it 

is Columbus’ agnostic platform. “We 

have applied our decades of experience 

with the X15 to our next-generation 

product and believe these 

The 2024 edition of 

the ACT Expo, 

held in Las Vegas, 

established the event 

as the showcase for 

decarbonization in 

freight transportation in 

North America. 

Here we report you 

the narrative about 

Ballard, Bosch, 

Cummins, Danfoss, 

FPT Industrial, Honda, 

Schaeffler 

investments will serve our customers 

well into the future. The Next Generation 

X15 is the next evolution of 

technology, truly proving to the world 

that we never stop innovating,” said 

José Samperio, Vice President, North 

America On-Highway at Cummins. 

“We are working hard to ensure the 

new product delivers our brand promise 

to customers for the important 

jobs they need to do every day.” The 

X15 architecture utilizes a belt-driven, 

high output 48-volt alternator and 

aftertreatment heater solution. What 

is the difference between the diesel, 

CNG and hydrogen versions? Below 

the head gasket of each engine will 

largely have similar components and 

above the head gasket will have different 

components for different fuel 

types. Each engine version will oper- 

ate using a different, single fuel. The 

most interesting aspect of Cummins’ 

proposal is not so much the performance 

assonance of the multifuel 

engine block, with 605 hp and 2780 

Nm, but the integration in terms of 

powertrain. And it is here that the 

foresight of the M&A policy of this 

past five years is distinctly perceived. 

The results are those signed by Eaton 

Cummins and Cummins-Meritor. The 

Cummins-Meritor 14X HE tandem 

drive axles are equipped with a proprietary, 

advanced Meritor lube management 

system (MLMS) and feature 

super-fast ratio options, fuel-efficient 

bearings and high-efficiency spiral 

bevel gearing. Cummins-Meritor Permalube 

RPL drivelines are designed 

for reduced maintenance and have 

the ability to handle the high torque 

demands of today’s downspeed engine 

platforms. Here, at ACT Expo, 

Cummins meant also Accelera. What 

“surprises” did we find under the Accelera 

Christmas tree? Among the 

other things, the FCE300 and FCE150 

hydrogen fuel cell engines, 14Xe 

eAxles, available with a 3-speed 

twin-countershaft or a 2-speed planetary 

transmission. For an enhanced 

electric drivetrain with an increased 

focus on functional safety and cybersecurity, 

the 14Xe is equipped with 

Accelera’s ELFA 3 V3.2, a high-power 

inverter. The 14Xe is best suited for 

heavy-duty 6x4 applications in a tandem 

configuration or as a single application 

for medium-duty and school 

bus applications. Finally, a new lithium 

iron phosphate (LFP) generation 

of batteries, called BP104E, with a 

rated energy capacity of 104kWh and 

a maximum voltage range of 830V. 

The next generation LFP chemistry 

composition and cell-to-pack architecture 

also make it more energy 

dense and cost competitive. Volume 

production of this battery is planned 

for 2027 with locally manufactured 

cells in the U.S. Accelera’s 300kW 

fuel cell engine will be on display at 

ACT Expo in addition to a Navistar 

RH International Class 8 heavy-duty 

truck equipped with two rail-mounted 

FCE150 engines and Accelera’s newest 

eAxle. 

FPT Industrial also followed a holistic, 

agnostic strategy. A powertrain 

overview that can provide the onroad 

ecosystem with internal combustion 

engines, both “orthodox” and “heretical” 

(we refer to biomethane and 

12 

13

AUTOMOTIVE 

#HONDA #BALLARD 

CUMMINS COMPRESSOR FOR FUEL CELLS 

When you think of the Cummins brand family of components, 

what first comes to mind? Meritor e-axles? CES’s ATS 

systems? Anything else? Since February 2024 Cummins has 

developed a 650V e-compressor for fuel cells and unveiled it 

in Las Vegas. The e-compressor boasts several key characteristics, 

including low noise, high speed, and high efficiency. It 

features a 45kW high-speed motor with a maximum design 

speed of 110,000 rpm, making it suitable for use in 150-200 

kW and 240-260 kW fuel cell engines with turbine energy 

recovery. The strengths of the e-compressor there are a 

low-inertia rotor design for faster start-up and improved acceleration 

performance and a full-blade impeller design for 

noise reduction and smoother operations, achieved by lowering 

the frequency of blade pass noise. Moreover, high-efficiency 

aerodynamic design that utilizes less energy and 

improves fuel economy and low-thrust loading wheel design 

for smoother rotation and higher reliability. The e-compressor 

also features a robust containment design, providing 

larger design margins from containment testing and enhancing 

product safety during operation. 

Jane Beaman, Vice President Global, On-Highway Business, 

Cummins: “Earlier this year, we re-introduced our fuel agnostic 

engine platforms with a name that captures the innovation 

that powers us forward: the Cummins HELM platforms.” 

hydrogen fuels), batteries, electric 

motors, and e-axles. It has been the 

first time for the 6×4 eAxle eAX375, 

for the North American market, and 

the first model of FPT Industrial’s second 

generation eAxles; the eAX840- 

R, the first HDT eAxle on the market; 

and the LCV Central Drive eCD140. 

“By exhibiting at ACT Expo 2024, 

we are showing the vehicle industry 

our multifaceted capability of delivering 

efficient, viable and tested solutions, 

whatever the technology and 

the fuel,” said Daniele Pozzo, Head 

of Marketing & Product Portfolio at 

FPT Industrial. “This event presents 

a significant opportunity to connect 

with key stakeholders, explore new 

business opportunities, and showcase 

our commitment to sustainable 

transportation solutions.” Making its 

ratios available. The eAX840-R is a 

groundbreaking solution in the electric 

truck market, offering a unique 

combination of efficiency, performance, 

and ease of integration. Its singlespeed 

design eliminates the need for a 

transmission control unit (TCU), simplifying 

the overall system and reducing 

development time. This enabled 

FPT Industrial to bring the eAX840-R 

to market in just two years from the 

concept stage. FPT Industrial’s Central 

Drive – eCD140 for light commercial 

applications is a compact solution 

for incorporating electric drive 

systems into existing conventional 

vehicles of up to 8 tonnes GVW. FPT 

Industrial’s team has designed a lean, 

integrated central drive system which 

guarantees easy implementation into 

existing platforms, and optimized redebut 

in North America and marking 

the birth of the second generation of 

FPT Industrial eAxles, the eAX375- 

R integrated electric axle is suitable 

for medium-duty 4×2 vehicles of up 

to 29 tons GVW, and heavy-duty 6×4 

vehicles of up to 49 tons GCVW. The 

design developed by FPT Industrial’s 

team, such as the bolted wheel end, 

allows the electric axle to be scalable. 

Up to 30,000 Nm / 22,000 lb-ft torque 

at the wheels, and service life of up to 

a million miles (depending on customer 

mission), it ensures sustainability 

and delivers uptime performance. 

FPT Industrial introduced this axle 

co-developed with input from Nikola 

for the Nikola Tre Class 8 truck in the 

United States. As the first HDT eAxle 

on the market, it is designed for heavy 

vehicles, with multiple transmission 

sidual space for installation of battery 

packs. Finally, FPT Industial also puts 

agnostic engine platform card on the 

table XC13 multi-fuel internal combustion 

engine, introduced in Barcelona, 

during the Iveco Model Year 

presentation. From diesel and natural 

gas (including biomethane) to hydrogen 

and renewable fuels, this base 

engine has been designed and engineered 

with multiple versions to allow 

maximum standardization of components, 

and minimum impact for facilitated 

installation on the vehicle. 

Honda broke into the roads. Here we 

are not talking about passenger cars 

or the industrial gasoline engines with 

which the Japanese brand is usually 

associated in the pages of POWER- 

TRAIN International. We’re talking 

about a Class 8 Hydrogen Fuel Cell 

Truck Concept for the North American 

market. “Commercial vehicles, including 

Class 8 trucks, where fuel cells offer 

the best zero-emission replacement 

for existing diesel applications, are a 

key part of Honda’s broad hydrogen 

business strategy,” said Ryan Harty, 

assistant vice president, sustainability 

& business development, American 

Honda Motor Co. The operational 

Honda Class 8 truck concept is powered 

by three new Honda fuel cell (FC) 

systems, now in mass production at 

Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, LLC 

(FCSM), a joint venture production 

facility with General Motors (GM) in 

Brownstown, Michigan. 

Staying with fuel cell topics, Ballard 

has recently introduced 9 th generation 

fuel cell engine, the patented FCmove-XD. 

The latter delivers very high 

volumetric power density for heavyduty 

applications, featuring an engine 

volumetric power density of 0.36 

kW/L and gravimetric power density 

of 0.48 kW/kg. The scalable 120 

kW fuel cell engine integrates DC/ 

DC regulated output, enabling up to 

three modules to operate as one system 

with a single interface, capable 

of delivering a combined 360 kW of 

power output. Furthermore, enabled 

by an “open architecture” design 

and other new design advances, the 

powerful and compact FCmove-XD 

enables several important performance 

improvements (as compared to our 

prior-generation engine), including 

120 kW power output from our latest 

high-performance single stack and 

33% reduction in total parts count, 

significantly improving reliability and 

14 

15

AUTOMOTIVE 

#BOSCH #DANFOSS #SCHAEFFLER 

Daniele Pozzo, Head of Marketing & Product Portfolio at FPT Industrial: 

“By exhibiting at ACT Expo 2024, we will show the vehicle industry our 

multifaceted capability of delivering efficient, viable and tested solutions, 

whatever the technology and the fuel.” 

meet the performance and durability 

requirements of the commercial 

vehicle industry. In addition to fuel 

injection, Bosch as a system supplier 

for hydrogen engines also offers the 

electronic control unit, products for 

the storage and supply of hydrogen 

and further powertrain components 

as well as system engineering services. 

Bosch is among a group of 

industry collaborators supporting a 

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) 

joint industry program that retrofitted 

a Class 8 heavy-duty vehicle with a 

hydrogen engine to demonstrate the 

low-CO 2 

and low-emissions potential’of 

hydrogen-powered engines 

using current technology. Already, 

the company is in production with the 

fuel cell power module. Based on the 

learnings from the on-road experienmately 

90% of existing development 

and manufacturing technologies can 

be re-utilized, as the basic structure 

of the fuel, air and exhaust system can 

be adopted from existing powertrain 

solutions. Hydrogen engines use very 

few rare earth materials. “Hydrogen 

engines can be a powertrain of choice 

also for applications that require 

sustained high loads and robustness 

in challenging environmental conditions,” 

Paul Thomas, president of 

Mobility, Americas for Bosch, said. 

“We see this kind of application relevant 

for heavy long-distance transport 

as well as for agricultural and 

construction machinery.” Next to 

port-fuel injection solutions, Bosch 

engineers are working to create specialized 

low-pressure direct injection 

systems for hydrogen engines that 

reducing costs. To complete Ballard’s 

upgrade identity card, ultra-high peak 

system efficiency at less than 60%, 

enabling improved fuel consumption 

and efficient heat rejection. The operating 

temperature range is up to 95°C. 

Integrated power controller incorporates 

DC/DC converter, air compressor 

inverter, and a power distribution 

unit, along with proprietary software 

controls, enables improved engine 

operation and efficiency. 

Two renowned German solution providers 

showed themselves in the Las 

Vegas spotlight. Hydrogen, again, by 

Bosch. In fact, a first hydrogen ICE 

with Bosch components is set to debut 

this year. A major reason is that 

existing powertrain technology from 

today already provides a solid platform 

for hydrogen engines. Approxi- 

ce, Bosch is exploring a next generation 

of the fuel cell power module 

with an increased power target of 300 

kW and improved power to weight 

ratio. For its side, Bosch Rexroth is 

working to refuel Heavy Goods Vehicles 

(HGV) with 100 kg of hydrogen 

in less than 10 minutes. Working with 

the market leader for the commercial 

operation of hydrogen filling stations 

in the USA, FirstElement Fuel in 

California, Bosch Rexroth has developed 

a cryopump that can compress 

up to 600 kg of liquid hydrogen per 

hour. Schaeffler showcased its latest 

generation of all-solid-state batteries 

(ASSB) as well as hydrogen fuel cell 

technologies that address industry 

needs related to power density, range 

and commercial options. The allsolid-state 

batteries are the next frontier 

to fill some of the gaps in BEV 

technology and thus accelerate the 

transition to electrification. They are 

able to provide higher energy density, 

extended range, fast-charging 

options, and important safety advantages 

due to their non-flammable nature. 

On the other hand, Schaeffler’s 

eRocker System is an electromechanical 

valve system used to deactivate 

the exhaust valves of the engine. The 

system consists of three main components: 

a dual-pin electromagnetic 

actuator; two slider bars; and either 

eight (4-cylinder) or 12 (six-cylinder) 

switchable roller finger followers. 

Finally, we raid the Danfoss booth. 

The Danes presented solutions from 

the Power Solutions, Climate Solutions, 

and Power Electronics and Drives 

businesses. Among the products 

on display is the new Editron ED3 

onboard charger with electric power 

take-off (ePTO). ED3 delivers 43 kW 

of charging power. This enables overnight 

charging of electric vehicles 

using readily available AC chargers, 

facilitating quick deployment while 

minimizing charging infrastructure 

costs for end users. The high-power 

AC and DC ePTO functionality enables 

the ED3 to power vehicle auxiliary 

functions, such as the compressors 

on refrigerated trucks and compactors 

on refuse trucks. In addition to 

hardware, Danfoss also highlighted 

its software capabilities. Designed 

by its global software development 

team, Danfoss software ties together 

its components while addressing the 

functional safety and cybersecurity 

requirements of the market. 

16 

17

POWER GENERATION 

#ISOTTAFRASCHINI #DATACENTER 

ISOTTA FRASCHINI MOTORI 

@DATA CENTER 

NATION 

Marco Golinelli has gained extensive professional experience 

in this field. Among the companies he has worked for, Volvo Penta, 

Webasto and Wärtsilä Energy. 

At the Data Center Nation 2024 

held in Milan we met Marco 

Golinelli, Isotta Fraschini’s 

Chief Commercial Officer. 

“Our vision at Isotta Fraschini Motori, 

with key impetus being given by 

Gruppo Fincantieri, revolves around 

the Bari facilities in their entirety, 

starting with the Center for Innovation 

and Development. We’re discussing 

system-wide measures aimed at 

giving back the company the role it 

is fit to play, making it a major player 

on land, too. We’ll tackle the proximity 

markets first, from our competitors 

in the Italian arena and the Mediterranean, 

and then we’ll start building 

a worldwide vision shortly after. If we 

succeed in getting back the place that’s 

natural for us in Italy, I am certain we 

won’t have problems elsewhere”. 

At Data Center 

Nation in Milan, we 

interviewed Marco 

Golinelli, the new 

Chief Commercial 

Officer of Isotta 

Fraschini Motori. 

To make a splash in 

the effervescent data 

center market, Isotta 

Fraschini is banking 

on the reliability it 

has gained in the 

defense industry 

What’s the strategy? 

“We pursue a product-based logic. I 

might compare that to Formula 1: you 

need the right car… Isotta Fraschini 

Motori became a distinguishing element 

within the Fincantieri group. 

They form a combination that enable 

us to reap many achievements. Fincantieri 

is a source of opportunities 

and solutions that if duly integrated 

allow us to make full use of our capabilities. 

We are a historical brand 

that kept working successfully in a 

few segments but is not receiving due 

recognition in others. We’ll start, therefore, 

from a well-established product 

portfolio and we’ll invest on the 

new platform and on using fuels with 

a markedly lighter carbon footprint: 

natural gas, biofuels, down to hydrogen, 

focusing on those sectors where 

reliability and efficiency are a must. 

Defense applications, for instance, 

where these criteria are typically demanded; 

we have proven we are reliable 

in this context. Going back to your 

question we see two pathways insofar 

as products are concerned. First, 

we’re going to upgrade the existing 

range for both industrial and naval 

applications. This will be our bridge 

towards the new platform, designed 

to be a multifuel unit, which we think 

can make a difference. We’ve got fierce 

competitors, but I am confident we 

can have our say. Reliability is a relevant 

factor in relation to price. Allow 

me to stress that I have no ‘low-cost’ 

company in my professional track record, 

my work has always been quality 

driven. I strongly believe in Isotta 

Fraschini Motori and in the project 

supported by Fincantieri.” 

Let’s dwell a bit on the stars of the 

day: data centers. 

“We need to be able to interpret this 

market’s needs the best we can. We 

have to look beyond circumstances 

and listen to what players are and 

will be asking from us. You can’t get 

stuck on price alone. Our answer will 

start from the engine to expand our 

commitment to anything we can supply, 

from packages to batteries, down 

to digitalization. Our distinctive feature 

is the ability to develop special 

solutions devised and designed with 

the customer. For data centers, we 

can resort to the existing portfolio. 

We’re shaping the future: I am not 

aiming to crush the competition by 

2024, but I’ll work hard to plan Isotta 

Fraschini Motori’s success over the 

next two to three years.” 

HVO is included in the current portfolio. 

“Absolutely, as you’ll see in 

the panel session, we’ll host together 

with Enilive at 4.15 pm, we see it as 

vital for ICE’s role. I’d like to point 

out that the National Energy and Climate 

Plan stresses that ‘fuel diversification 

is imperative.’ That’s the 

goal the European Union, Gruppo 

Fincantieri and Isotta Fraschini Motori 

are targeting. Our decarbonization 

efforts are based on an advanced 

R&D project as well as on the development 

of integrated hybrid solutions 

for energy generation, maritime 

and industrial applications, as well 

as for the powertrain sector where 

we are already active with our IPCEI 

project. We’re taking these innovative 

technologies on board.” 

18 

19

FOCUS 

#FPTINDUSTRIAL #PETRONAS 

FPT INDUSTRIAL 

TEARDOWN 

AND 

TRAINING 

FLUIDS BY FPT INDUSTRIAL & PETRONAS 

Petronas is a long-standing partner of the Iveco Group, of 

which FPT is the thinking brain behind the powertrain assets. 

This range of fluids is specifically designed for use in vehicles 

and engines for marine, on-road, off-road and power 

generation applications. The range of three co-branded 

products carefully formulated with different viscosity grades 

for various types of applications is able to meet the 

expectations of the most demanding customers. Available 

for the European market in 20-liter cans or 200-liter drums, 

each lubricating base is suitable for specific needs: engine oil 

for off-road and marine applications uses a 15W-40 mineral 

lubricating base; premium engine oil for off-road and marine 

applications uses a 10W-40 semi-synthetic lubricating base; 

and premium motor oil for on-road applications uses a 

synthetic lubricating base with advanced 5W-30 technology. 

We were in Turin, 

at the Engine 

Teardown, the 

training centre 

of FPT Industrial. 

Don’t be misled by 

the term “engine”. 

It could be “motor” 

and nothing would 

change. Here, 

in fact, they take 

care of both 

internal combustion 

engine and electric 

powertrains 

Call it Teardown, Academy or 

Training Centre. What doesn’t 

change is that we are in the 

training ground for today’s and 

tomorrow’s engineers. It is the 3,000 

square metre wing of FPT Industrial’s 

engineering cathedral dedicated 

to customer training. The mission is 

diagnostic training, both conceptual 

and empirical. Here, in other words, 

they teach both prevention and cure, 

quoting a popular saying (prevention 

is better than cure). “We created this 

new area with the aim of integrating 

theory and practice smoothly and 

within a single space, for our teaching 

and development activities,” said 

Leonardo Zecchini, Head of Customer 

& Product Support and Digital 

for FPT Industrial. 

As Sergio Carpentiere, Vice President 

- Customer Service and Digital, 

pointed out, “Customer service’s mission 

does not end with simply managing 

the aftermarket. Services are the 

umbrella of everything that is protection, 

reliability, uptime for customers. 

As far as we are concerned, we have 

managed uptime with regard to connectivity, 

remote assistance (the control 

room is located in Turin, ed). We 

manage 300,000 connected engines, 

including the captive world. We can 

intervene in advance to prevent problems 

from deteriorating. If there are 

any, the system generates alerts. There 

is the help of RAS, an acronym for remote 

assistance services. Through the 

MyFPT app and the engine code, the 

customer allows remote connection 

and thus enables us to guarantee continuity 

of work, while waiting for the 

intervention, when we cannot even 

solve the problem live. Through our 

virtual support platform, we physically 

follow the operator in order to see 

operations in real time”. 

FPT Industrial has identified this entity 

as a training centre for diagnosis 

and repair, as well as a place for interaction 

with customers, distributors 

and students. 

Let’s listen to Fabio Andreotti, head 

of the FPT Technical Academy: “The 

classroom is equipped with a multimedia 

whiteboard, projector and an automatic 

tracking camera with artificial 

intelligence, which we use for online 

courses. Here you will also find the 

workshop, where technicians following 

the training courses can get their 

hands on the engines and carry out 

diagnostic, assembly and disassembly 

exercises. We divide our activities 

into four main categories: courses 

dedicated to the service network, to 

which we provide both basic and advanced 

information, updates on new 

engines and homologations, as well as 

in-depth information on specific applications. 

We organise courses for direct 

customers, which are divided into two 

large families: those who rely on their 

own service network for warranty and 

post-warranty, i.e. for service, called 

‘self-service’. We provide their trainers 

with very advanced training, so that 

they are able to teach their technicians 

how to repair, overhaul and service 

our engines directly. The other family 

of direct customers are the so-called 

‘served’, who use the FPT Industrial 

network to perform warranty and 

post-warranty service. To them, we ap- 

ply an approach aimed at acquiring a 

general knowledge of the engines and 

for scheduled maintenance. The third 

category of activities is that of internal 

colleagues. We continuously update 

colleagues on homologations and new 

engines and provide specific information 

on the various applications. Finally, 

we run certification courses for 

the service network. They are divided 

into five certification levels, so that 

technicians meet certain quality standards. 

It starts from level zero up to the 

master level, troubleshooting, where 

we teach troubleshooting methodologies 

and their resolution”. 

Are all training and monitoring activities 

collected in Turin? 

“FPT Industrial has three other training 

centres, APAC, in Shanghai, North 

America in York, Pennsylvania, and in 

20 

21

FOCUS 

#TEARDOWN #TRAININGCENTER #XC13 #BATTERY 

A (WATCHFUL) EYE ON BATTERIES 

The management electronics are mounted on top of the 

battery pack and manage the voltage and temperature 

information sent by the 16 interconnected modules, 8 on 

the top, 8 on the bottom. They are connected via busbars, 

which are laminated so as to be flexible. In between are 

two cooling systems that keep the module temperature 

at a constant level. The modules are composed of pouch 

cells and connected by a specific soldering. The BMS 

is the master control unit of each pouch and collects 

information from the LECUs (Local Electronic Control 

Units). The master LECU has the task of communicating 

with the other slave LECUs, which are connected to each 

other in order to collect the values of all the modules that 

make up the battery pack. The BMS is also responsible for 

communicating and controlling the Battery Disconnection 

Unit (BDU), which transfers high-voltage energy outside the 

battery pack. Contactors open and close on the inside to 

allow current to flow through the vehicle circuit. The MSD 

has a calibrated fuse inside that intervenes in the event 

of current peaks, in order to depower the battery, or for 

service operations. The eBS37 Evo battery is an evolution 

of the current eBS37. 

Brazil, for LATAM, in Sete Lagoas. 

Each training centre has diversified 

certifications designed according 

to the needs of local customers. In 

EMEA, where there are different applications, 

there are 21 dealers, 16 in 

Europe and 5 in the Middle East and 

Africa. In this area, we have developed 

master courses, specific to individual 

applications. In North America, there 

is a strong demand for marine engine 

training. We display the percentage of 

achievement of the modules in each 

dealer, based on the learning level 

achieved by technicians. Currently, 

the two extreme levels, i.e. zero and 

troubleshooting, have lower percentages 

than the other intermediate levels, 

because they were inaugurated at 

the beginning of this year.” 

In the morning simulation, in which 

we wore mechanic’s gloves, we 

delved into the specifics of the XC13. 

Compared to the Cursor 13, some elements 

change, including the engine 

brake control system. The XC13 has 

an overhead used to support the camshaft. 

The oil pump is variable displacement, 

the water pump is variable 

delivery, the common rail goes from 

a pressure of 2,200 bar to 2,500 bar, 

with a twin-cylinder Bosch pump, 

which weighs 15 kg. Finally, there is 

the engine-mounted filter assembly 

with a pressure sensor on the base. 

Let’s get to the heart of the XC13’s 

morphology with the overhead camshaft 

and gear timing on the rear. The 

water pump is variable delivery: a disc 

is positioned on the impeller outlet section 

that runs axially, uncovering the 

water pump delivery section depend- 

ing on the cooling demand of the ECU. 

At those points of operation where the 

full delivery of the water pump is not 

required, the controller advances the 

disc. This ensures the flow necessary 

to cool the motor and reduces friction. 

A lower discharge cross-section results 

in less torque being absorbed by 

the pump, hence lower consumption. 

The pump is controlled in a closed 

loop. A solenoid valve controls the 

hydraulic mechanism that drives the 

disc and a position sensor. Behind the 

flywheel is the variable displacement 

oil pump driven by the timing gear 

kinematics. In particular, it acts in solidarity 

with the crankshaft gear. The oil 

pump has a variable displacement, and 

is therefore driven so as to ensure the 

flow rate actually required. The stator 

of the oil pump has a disc whose static 

position (i.e. the volume described by 

the pump vanes) is varied by means of 

a hydraulic drive. The solenoid valve 

that drives the rotor is called Vdop, 

Variable displacement oil pump. 

Another revolutionary element of the 

XC13 is the high-performance engine 

brake. It is an electro-hydraulically operated 

cylinder decompression system. 

The rocker arm shafts are controlled 

by the overhead camshaft. At 2,000 

rpm the brake power is 510 kW, even 

more than the engine power. There 

are two rocker arm shafts divided by 

groups of three cylinders. One rocker 

arm shaft drives the valves of cylinders 

4, 5 and 6, the other drives the valves 

of cylinders 1, 2 and 3. Each cylinder 

has three rocker arms. One is an 

intake rocker, another is a disengageable 

exhaust rocker equipped with a 

spring and consisting of two parts, 

which are joined at rest. Depending 

on the command received from the 

ECU, the two parts can separate. The 

third engine brake rocker is also disengageable. 

Both the engine brake rocker 

and the exhaust brake rocker act on 

the exhaust valves. At some times the 

valves are controlled by the exhaust 

rocker arm, at others the engine brake 

rocker arm controls the valves. The 

engine control unit controls solenoid 

valves to manage an oil flow that activates 

or deactivates the exhaust and 

engine brake rocker arms. Each of the 

two driveshafts has a solenoid valve to 

manage the engine brake rocker arms, 

another solenoid valve manages the 

exhaust rocker arms. There is a drive 

mode, when the throttle is depressed, 

and a brake mode, when the throttle 

is released. The exhaust rocker arm, 

in drive mode, behaves like a normal 

exhaust rocker arm: the cam acts on 

the rocker roller which opens the two 

exhaust valves. In brake mode, the unloading 

rocker arm is not activated. A 

hydraulic mechanism, consisting of 

two small pistons, holds the two parts 

together in the absence of oil. If it does 

receive oil, it separates them. The engine 

brake rocker arm is actuated by 

a dedicated cam with four lobes, because 

the exhaust valves must open at 

as many times within a cycle. Inside 

it contains a plunger that slides independently 

of the rocker body. In brake 

mode, an electro-hydraulic control engages 

the plunger with the rest of the 

rocker arm. When in operation, the 

engine brake rocker arm operates only 

one of the two exhaust valves. 

22 

23

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#DEUTZ #HYUNDAI #LIEBHERR 

INTERMAT PARIS 2024 

NOT 

JUST 

ELECTRIC 

On the left, the Deutz electric excavator shown at the Intermat Paris 

and, above, the HD Hyundai DX08 engine. 

After a six-year absence, Intermat 

appears in a completely 

new guise, where the theme of 

the decarbonisation of the sector 

is undoubtedly under the spotlight. 

Internal combustion engines, agnostic 

or not, batteries, hybrids… there are an 

infinite number of propulsion solutions 

that we have seen, but on one aspect 

everyone – and for some time – has 

agreed: even in the construction world, 

there is not just one path to follow. 

There are as many solutions as there 

are customers and their applications. 

Another new theme for this exhibition 

is that of autonomous driving, represented 

for example by Bobcat with the 

prototype of the autonomous wheel 

loader RogueX2, an evolution of the 

RogueX crawler, presented at Conexpo 

one year ago, which seems like a vision 

A dominant trend, 

that of electrification, 

also in the 

construction sector, 

as we clearly saw at 

the 2024 edition of 

Intermat Paris. 

But this is not the 

solution for everyone, 

especially for 

larger machines. 

Manufacturers want 

to explore all paths 

here too, from hybrid 

to HVO 

of the future of compact earthmoving 

machines. 

But let’s retrace, in strictly alphabetical 

order, what we saw in Paris from the 

point of view of propulsion. Cummins, 

Yanmar and the innovative solutions of 

Moog Construction deserve a special 

in-depth look in the following pages. 

DEUTZ 

The German manufacturer has showcased 

all the most suitable solutions for 

the construction sector. It starts with 

diesel engines with the TCD 3.9 (130 

kW), particularly suitable for industrial 

applications, which can be made available 

in variants powered by low-emission 

alternatives such as gas and hydrogen. 

Deutz continues to believe that 

diesel has a future in the construction 

industry and therefore focuses on the 

Classic portfolio, which ranges from 

smaller engines such as the TCD 2.9 

to the high-performance T(T)CD 7.7 

engine. They are all engines that meet 

the highest emissions standards and 

are approved for the use of HVO. But 

the push for electrification is evident 

at this edition of Intermat and Deutz 

is no exception: an electric excavator 

is proudly on display at its stand, powered 

by the Deutz Electric System (40 

kW), with the PowerTree mobile rapid 

charging system, which can be used 

independently of the local electrical 

infrastructure and provides a charging 

capacity of up to 150 kW with an output 

voltage of up to 800 volts, which 

means charging in just 20 minutes. In 

the Green segment, Deutz is presenting 

its TCG 7.8 H2 hydrogen engine, 

which we have already seen on other 

occasions, but which is expected to go 

into production at the end of this year. 

It can be used for all types of applications, 

including road use, and has so far 

been ordered by China for a small-scale 

production of 100 hydrogen gensets. 

HD HYUNDAI 

HD Hyundai Infracore has unveiled 

two new Stage V diesel engines. The 

DX05, a 5.0-litre four-cylinder model 

that features a two-stage turbo or 

wastegate. The former produces 171 

kW between 1,800 and 2,200 rpm, with 

a maximum torque of 955 Nm between 

900 and 1,400 rpm, while the wastegate 

version output is 156 kW between 

1,800 and 2,200 rpm, with maximum 

torque slightly reduced to 830 Nm between 

1,400 and 1,800 rpm. The engine 

uses overhead valve direct injection 

fed via a common rail configuration. 

Emissions aftertreatment is completed 

using a combination of DOC, DPF and 

SCR. The second engine unveiled is 

the DX08, a 7.5-litre six-cylinder, also 

featuring a two-stage turbo or wastegate. 

The maximum power for the first 

version is 254 kW between 1,800 and 

2,200 rpm, with a maximum torque of 

1,460 Nm delivered between 1,200 and 

1,400 rpm, while the second variant delivers 

227 kW at 1,800 rpm and 1,230 

Nm from 1,200 to 1,600 rpm. 

LIEBHERR 

In the vast outdoor stand of Liebherr, 

the protagonist is the new T 33-10 telescopic 

handler with the possibility of 

being battery-powered, with an internal 

combustion engine compatible with 

HVO and in a hybrid version, particularly 

convenient in terms of flexibility 

and consumption. In short, a broad 

and technologically neutral vision 

24 

25

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#LIUGONG #WEICHAI #ZF 

that always sees the same hydrostatic 

transmission and the same hydraulic 

system operated, however, thanks to 

hydrotreated vegetable oil. For Liebherr 

this is a valid alternative that is 

becoming increasingly important also 

thanks to the good compatibility with 

all the components of a classic Diesel 

cycle engine. In case of difficulty in 

finding fuel, it is also possible to consider 

a simple conversion during operation. 

The other advantage consists in 

the technological continuity linked to 

maintenance operations that are in the 

company background and that do not 

require heavy specific training aimed 

at a new type of technology. The fully 

electric solutions presented by Liebherr 

for telescopic handlers are based on 

a modular high-voltage battery concept 

coupled with an electric drive. 

Equipped with an on-board electronic 

charging device, this drive is particularly 

suitable for indoor work such as recycling. 

The third option offered by the 

Swiss manufacturer consists of a plugin 

hybrid system that guarantees customers 

considerable freedom in terms 

of working autonomy. In fact, it allows 

operation even without a battery. Fundamental 

in this solution is the ability 

to recover energy during braking and 

lowering of the arm, allowing for fuel 

savings of 20% compared to the classic 

solution with an endothermic engine. 

LIUGONG 

Without mincing words, LiuGong, 

one of the first OEM to believe in the 

potential of batteries, aims to become, 

also in Europe, the number one in sales 

of electric construction machinery 

by 2027. There are five new products 

shown at Intermat, including excavators 

and wheel loaders, marked by the 

green color of the “electric family”, 

which now includes 40 models. 

“In recent days we have seen a lot of interest 

from customers all over Europe”, 

explained Samuel Broillard, head of 

LiuGong operations in France, at the 

press conference to present the new 

machines. “I think a lot of people were 

surprised by how advanced LiuGong is 

in BEV technology and how much credibility 

we actually have. Our goal was 

to demonstrate that we are leading the 

transition to BEV in Europe and I think 

we have succeeded”. In keeping with 

this philosophy, LiuGong announces 

that at the Vei og Anlegg show in 

Oslo, Norway, held concurrently with 

Intermat, LiuGong is launching two 

more battery electrics that are perfectly 

matched to support each other in mining, 

quarrying and aggregates applications. 

According to LiuGong Europe 

President Howard Dale, “It is an exciting 

time to be considering the LiuGong 

brand. Significant investments have 

been made, not only in product development, 

but also in future-proofing our 

business.” 

WEICHAI 

The Chinese manufacturer, recently 

confirmed as the leader in internal 

combustion engine energy efficiency 

with a good 53%, presented itself at 

Intermat on the stand of Lovol Heavy 

Industry, a wholly owned subsidiary 

of Weichai. The prominent place on 

the stand is occupied by the “Weichai 

+ Linde” hydraulic engine (where 

all the yellow parts are clearly Linde 

components, also part of the Weichai 

group), designed for the construction 

sector of various markets (Stage II, IV 

and V) and in particular for an excavator. 

Lovol showed highly efficient and 

low consumption mechanical equipment, 

but also global improvements in 

digitalization, in the belief that Polish 

products, with related investments in 

research and development, will help 

shape the image of Made in China in 

the world. 

ZF 

ZF Group has presented a series of new 

electrified components at Intermat for 

a variety of applications, such as mobile 

excavators and wheel loaders. The 

range of modular eTRAC electronic 

platforms has been expanded, combining 

the performance of traditional transmissions 

with the benefits of new electrically 

powered systems. With power 

ratings from 20 to 210 kW, this range 

produces zero emissions and low noise 

levels. The modular design means the 

units take up less space on board the 

machines. The larger units are equipped 

with a single electric motor and an electromechanical 

powershift transmission. 

With an operating voltage of 650 V, it 

can provide a continuous power of 120 

kW. The motor also offers an ePTO 

function that delivers between 30 and 

70 kW continuous. In addition to the 

additions to the eTRAC series, ZF has 

introduced the Ecomix CMe electric 

drum mixer drive, powered by an onboard 

battery, which can deliver 60 kW 

continuous and 125 kW peak power. 

This configuration allows the truck’s 

engine to be turned off while on site, 

while the drum is powered without local 

emissions. 

26 

27

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#HELM #AGNOSTIC #ELECTRIFICATION 

CUMMINS AND ACCELERA 

NO ONE-SIZE- 

FITS- 

ALL 

The “agnostic” Next Generation X15 engine and, above, the B6.7, 

here in the hydrogen configuration. 

A 

dozen days before the start of 

Intermat in Paris, Cummins 

announced plans to unveil a 

new engine for the off-highway 

market. Beau Lintereur, executive director 

Off-Highway, said at the time: 

“Working closely with customers, we 

are keenly aware of the demand for 

combustion technologies that offer 

high power density and improved efficiency. 

The introduction of this diesel 

engine marks another milestone as we 

continue our commitment to diversifying 

our combustion technology portfolio.” 

What was still unclear was whether the 

new engine was a new version of the 

X15 or a completely new design. They 

firmly confirmed the second hypothesis: 

the Next Generation X15 – as it is 

called – was born from a blank sheet 

Among Cummins’ 

solutions suitable 

for the construction 

world, the Next 

Generation X15, 

a completely new 

project that is part 

of the agnostic HELM 

platform, makes 

a fine show on the 

stand. The hydrogen 

B6.7 and a series 

of Accelera solutions 

for electrification are 

also present 

of paper, with the aim of maintaining 

reliability but reducing operating costs, 

while offering reduced emissions and 

advantages in terms of fuel efficiency. 

Jonathan Miller, Off-Highway Business 

Development Manager, explains: 

“The new engine is part of our interchangeable 

technology, the HELM 

platform (an acronym that stands for 

“higher efficiency and lower emissions”, 

ed.), where the engine block 

is the same, but the cylinder head is 

changed depending on the fuel (diesel, 

natural gas or hydrogen), together of 

course with the fuel systems. This allows 

us to obtain advantages in terms 

of product scalability and to address 

different types of customers and therefore 

to decline this solution also in the 

off-highway sector. The key is to be 

ready for every solution requested by 

the customer. If we consider what has 

always been our approach to the product 

lines, here we decided to enclose 

different technologies in a single platform 

to obtain maximum flexibility. In 

this way we can provide our customers 

with the widest choice, selecting what 

is right for them in the right situation 

and at the right time.” 

Miller is keen to stress that the Next 

Generation X15 is a completely new 

project, born from a clean sheet of paper: 

“We have improved fuel economy, 

achieved a better TCO and improved 

efficiency. This engine was born as fuel 

agnostic, so it has the ability to move 

into different markets. It is already on 

sale in China for automotive and we 

are already building it in series for 

the off-highway market. We have already 

received great feedback and are 

absolutely delighted with it. We have 

been able to produce and implement 

programs and new platforms in all the 

countries and now we are able to reach 

different customers who have different 

needs with one platform instead of offering 

different products, with clear 

benefits for all parties involved.” 

The Next Gen X15 for off-highway 

offers power outputs of up to 522 kW 

(700 hp) and a maximum torque of 

3,200 Nm targeted for Stage V emissions 

and beyond. It is optimised for 

fuel consumption of just 180 g/kWh, 

thus reducing TCO and CO 2 

emissions 

over its lifetime. Maintenance intervals 

– says the company – are now extended 

to up to 1,000 hours, reducing service 

costs and downtime. 

Also on display at the Cummins stand 

is the other “agnostic” solution that we 

had already seen at Agritechnica, the 

B6.7 in hydrogen configuration, also 

intended for a wide range of off-highway 

applications, thanks to a maximum 

power of 216 kW (290 hp) and 

a maximum torque of 1,200 Nm for 

Stage VI/Tier 5. The hydrogen combustion 

engine is designed to use the 

same transmission, cooling systems 

and hydraulics as today’s diesel engines, 

reducing complexity for equipment 

manufacturers and their customers 

who want to switch to using a 

hydrogen fuel solution. 

In line with Cummins’ Destination 

Zero strategy – a global initiative to 

reduce greenhouse gas emissions and 

mitigate the environmental impact of 

products and operations – the newly 

formed (just over a year) Accelera by 

Cummins brand introduced its 150kW 

28 

29

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#ACCELERA #FUELCELL #ELECTRICMOTOR #NPROXX 

Some Accelera solutions. Left to right, the NextGen 1CS2016 

electric motor and the 150 kW fuel cell motor, presented at Conexpo. 

Bottom, the NPROXX hydrogen tanks. 

fuel cell engine at Intermat. This innovative 

engine is ideal for mobile construction 

applications with intensive 

duty cycles and/or clean portable power 

generation requirements. 

Leo Stopper, Sales Manager - Fuel 

Cell and Hydrogen Technologies, recalls: 

“Last year Accelera presented 

its fourth-generation fuel cell engine at 

Conexpo, which offers improved power 

density, efficiency and durability, 

while ensuring zero greenhouse gases 

and zero air emissions. It is available 

with single-module 150 kW and dual 

300 kW engines for heavy-duty offroad 

applications. Today for the construction 

market we offer the 150 kW, 

which I believe is the ideal choice in 

the off-highway market, for example 

for mining equipment or marine port 

equipment. We are also working on 

and also air quality. Now we have added 

some extra components, a DC-DC 

converter and a TMS, thermal manexcavators 

for construction machinery. 

These are environments where you 

have to be careful about vibrations 

agement system. These are very expensive 

components because the fuel cells 

have to meet certain technical requirements.” 

Stopper explains, before introducing 

the other solutions shown at Intermat 

by the Accelera division: “The business 

unit itself was created to provide solutions 

to our customers with a sustainability-oriented 

approach, so today we 

have fuel cells, battery solutions and 

so on. As you know, after the recent 

acquisition of Meritor, we acquired 

NPROXX and it is a pretty exciting 

time for Cummins, in terms of investments. 

With the new Accelera brand 

we are making sure that Cummins is 

perceived not only as a diesel engine 

manufacturer, but as a power solutions 

provider, because ultimately we offer 

much more than diesel engines.” 

The Accelera portion of the booth 

features the next-generation BP97E 

lithium-ion battery, designed for electrified 

vehicle applications, offering 

exceptional power density while meeting 

customers’ need for weight-sensitive 

solutions and adaptable mounting 

options. The NextGen 1CS2016 is 

a single-winding permanent magnet 

synchronous direct drive motor specifically 

developed for high-performance 

traction motors. This electric motor 

offers unmatched efficiency of 97% 

across a wide operating range. Also 

on display are the NPROXX hydrogen 

tanks, with a pressure capacity of up 

to 700 bar. Cummins and NPROXX, 

a global leader in high-pressure hydrogen 

storage for both stationary and 

mobile applications, formed a joint 

venture in 2020. 

We then ask Stopper how the Accelera 

brand has been received by the market 

in this first year of life. “The new brand 

was founded in March 2023 and I think 

the feedback is very positive because 

now customers know that we are able 

to offer a variety of different components 

and that we have many experts 

in the various areas, who we can gather 

around a table to integrate all our 

products into a very complete system.” 

Sarah Myers, Off-Highway Marketing 

Communications, concluded: “We 

realized there is not going to be onesize-fits-all, 

and Accelera shows that 

we are investing in future technologies. 

The fact that we also introduced an allnew, 

agnostic, clean diesel engine really 

shows that Cummins recognizes that 

there is no one size fits all. We are here 

to cover all paths.” 

30 

31

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#MOOG #ZQUIP #ELECTRIFICATION 

MOOG AT INTERMAT 

A MATTER OF 

MODULES 

In the opening photo, the ZQuip70 module: the 

model and the blue bricks clearly show the three 

types of use. Above, the TerraTech solution, awarded 

at Intermat with the Innovation Gold Award. 

ZQuip, a brand that is part of Moog 

Construction, has launched at Intermat 

a solution to convert diesel-powered 

construction fleets 

into zero-emission machines in order 

to create fully electric construction 

sites. The conversion kit includes energy 

modules (70 and 140 kWh), interchangeable 

on all machines, a conversion 

kit consisting of battery wiring, 

electric motor and AI thermal management; 

and the entire IoT and connectivity 

part to monitor fleet activities and battery 

life, which aims to eliminate range 

anxiety while ensuring the highest level 

of operation. ZQuip first demonstrated 

this concept on a CAT 308, creating a 

ZQuip battery-electric version of the 

classic diesel-powered 8-ton excavator, 

making it one of the most powerful, energy-efficient 

and zero-emission 8-ton 

excavators available. ZQuip’s vision is 

to offer customers zero-emission machines 

with the exact battery capacity 

for the job at hand. Imagine a job site 

with six ZQuip machines; two of them 

need 800 kWh of battery capacity while 

four need 400 kWh each. The total energy 

for the day is 3.2 MWh. In contrast, 

today’s traditional all-electric vehicles 

might be equipped with an 800kWh 

battery on each of the six machines; 

in this scenario, the owner would pay 

50% more for the battery capacity that 

would be left unused. With ZQuip, once 

project managers determine the job 

at hand, they match the fleet’s energy 

needs to the battery capacity. They then 

optimize each machine by installing the 

appropriate number of ZQuip Energy 

modules and, if necessary, swap them 

out to any machine on the job site. 

We delve deeper into these modules 

with Rodolfo “Tito” Sosa, Product 

Strategy Manager at ZQuip: “ZQuip 

focuses on replacing or retrofitting internal 

combustion diesel engines with 

battery-powered solutions. The base 

with which the module is fixed to the 

machine is universal, only the height 

is different because the powers are different. 

Thanks to this solution we are 

able to retrofit existing machines in the 

field and we can do it through dealer 

networks, through major customers or 

we can go directly to OEMs. When we 

designed the modules, we did not think 

of them based only on battery technology: 

if we have a customer who wants to 

use different technologies, such as fuel 

cells, we can do so because the module 

was not designed only for the battery 

solution. Furthermore, these modules 

do not only offer the propulsion solution, 

but can be used for other purposes, 

for example to supply energy to the 

construction site.” 

It is also possible to do a recharge between 

modules. “These are the potentials 

at the moment, but we are also studying 

an energy generation solution to 

power not only modules or machines but 

also other tools on the construction site, 

to be able to truly achieve a zero-emission 

construction site,” adds Sosa. 

The biggest advantage of ZQuip is obviously 

the versatility of these modules 

that can be deployed not only in a specific 

machine or connected to a specific 

machine but have the ability to be adapted 

to different technologies and different 

machines if necessary. So far, the company 

has received a lot of interest from 

distributors and dealers who need to 

meet emissions standards, but it emphasizes 

that this is still a solution in the testing 

phase when it comes to evaluating 

productivity and total cost of ownership. 

Another solution presented by Moog 

Construction won an Intermat Innovation 

Gold Award in the Decarbonization 

and Energy Transition category: the 

TerraTech Ecosystem, a fully integrated 

system that works across multiple types 

of machines of different sizes. Award 

judges described TerraTech as “an exceptionally 

comprehensive solution for 

electrification and decarbonization.” 

OEMs can use TerraTech to design efficient, 

controllable and configurable 

electric machines for production at 

scale. Case, Bobcat and Komatsu have 

already used the TerraTech ecosystem 

to develop one-of-a-kind electric machines, 

such as the Case TLB 580EV, 

the all-electric Bobcat T7X track loader, 

the Bobcat Rogue concept loader 

and Komatsu’s all-electric wheel loader 

prototype. Nate Keller, Oem Solutions 

- Business Development Manager at 

Moog, explains: “TerraTech is an electrification 

platform for OEMs and it’s a 

way we can assist them by helping them 

accelerate their electrification journey. 

It’s not just a component but a solution 

that can integrate the various parts of 

the machine (which often start out as 

a sort of ‘Frankenstein’, with components 

from different brands that struggle 

to communicate with each other) 

into something coherent.” TerraTech includes 

software libraries to help OEMs 

develop their own advanced automation 

functions and perform real-time software 

updates to continuously evolve the 

functionality of a vehicle. 

32 

33

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#ELECTRIFICATION #CONSTRUCTION 

YANMAR CE @ INTERMAT 

YANMAR 

AIMS 

HIGH 

The electric machines presented by Yanmar Compact Equipment 

at Intermat: the C08e tracked dumper, the EV17e mini-excavator 

and the V8e wheel loader. Above, Yanmar CE CEO José Cuadrado 

during the press conference. 

At Intermat, Yanmar Compact 

Equipment presented what 

could be called its “range of 

the future”: three fully electrified 

machines designed for construction 

sites that require zero local emissions, 

such as internal maintenance 

sites, historic centres, industries and 

hospitals. The models are the V8e 

wheel loader, the SV17e mini-excavator 

and the C08e tracked dumper. We 

heard these new products presented 

at the inaugural press conference and 

we explored them in depth in an interview 

with José Cuadrado, appointed 

Global CEO of Yanmar Compact 

Equipment at the beginning of April, 

as well as Chairman of the Board of 

Directors of Yanmar Holdings Co. 

The new electrified range presented 

at Intermat is very similar, in terms of 

The goal is an 

ambitious one: to 

become number 

one in the compact 

machinery sector. 

But to achieve this, 

Yanmar CE has 

greatly expanded its 

product lines in recent 

years to complete its 

portfolio, naturally 

also expanding to 

electric. We talked 

about it with the 

recently appointed 

CEO, José Cuadrado 

power and performance, to the compact 

machines equipped with internal 

combustion engines from Yanmar CE. 

In fact, it covers a wide range of applications, 

from landscaping to urban 

construction, but can also tackle the 

most demanding applications, always 

respecting the most stringent regulations 

on exhaust emissions. In line 

with its “Building with you” philosophy, 

Yanmar has also put operator 

comfort and environmental protection 

first in these machines, also promoted 

through the “Yanmar Green Challenge 

2050” commitment. 

With an operating weight of 1,955 

kg and powered by an 18.3kWh battery 

pack, the SV17e mini excavator 

ensures the same performance as the 

model with an internal combustion engine. 

The track width is variable from 

0.98 to 1.32 meters, allowing easy access 

to interior spaces with one-meter 

openings. Electrification also minimizes 

noise emissions, making this 

machine suitable for closed spaces. 

The mini excavator can be equipped 

with an optional battery charger that 

provides slow charging from 20 to 

80% in approximately four hours and 

rapid charging from 20 to 80% in approximately 

two hours. 

The V8e wheel loader weighs 4,500 kilos 

and has a standard bucket between 

0.8 and 1.2 cubic meters. To optimize 

behaviour and energy resources, there 

are four working modes: Bucket, Fork, 

Eco and Power. The battery capacity is 

39.9 kWh in the standard version. An 

upgrade to 53.2 kWh is optional. The 

latter allows 4.2 hours of continuous 

operation in medium operating mode. 

The engine is synchronous and has a 

nominal power of 22 kilowatts with a 

peak of 30 kilowatts. 

The C08e tracked dumper is part of 

the historical line of Yanmar CE: it 

is in fact designed for the most difficult 

tasks. It combines an electric motor 

with a nominal power of 5.5 kW 

with a peak of 6.5 kW, with a hydrostatic 

transmission. In fact, nothing 

changes for the operator in moving 

the machine on the construction site. 

The dumper uses a standard 3.3 kW 

external battery charger compatible 

with a blue P17 plug for connection to 

the network. It is also equipped with a 

REMA socket for direct connection to 

the machine, fully recharging the battery 

from 20% to 80% of capacity in 

3.5 hours. 

We took a closer look at the innova- 

tions presented at Intermat and, above 

all, the future strategies of Yanmar CE 

and Yanmar in general with CEO José 

Cuadrado. 

You have recently been appointed to 

this new role, what is the legacy that 

Giuliano Parodi has left you? 

“Giuliano has been CEO of the company 

for four years, but in the last 

few years Yanmar has completely 

changed: from a product line (mini excavators) 

that we had, located mainly 

in Japan and Europe, it has become a 

company with four product lines sold 

all over the world, with four plants 

and basically double the revenue than 

before. Giuliano has done a great job 

in terms of integration at the company 

level and processes, but I think 

that is only half the job: now we have 

everything else to do!” 

34 

35

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#ELECTRIFICATION #HYDROGEN #HVO 

Left, the slide shows the company’s evolution into a global player. 

Above, the Yanmar stand in the outdoor area of Intermat. 

As we heard at the Yanmar press 

conference at the start of Intermat, 

your focus is now on the green transition 

and from this point of view 

you are concentrating a lot on the 

Yanmar Green Challenge, but what 

about your historical core business, 

diesel engines, what will be the future 

developments? 

“Good question. Engines for Yanmar 

are obviously the core business, 

where a large part of our revenues 

and profitability come from. As you 

know, we sell diesel engines to many 

of our competitors, so we look at the 

development of this process in two different 

directions: we will continue to 

invest in diesel engines, so that they 

are increasingly efficient, because we 

believe we have not yet seen the end of 

the life of the diesel engine. It is still a 

ed to e-powertrain.” 

In this edition of Intermat we saw 

that electrification is a very strong 

trend in the construction sector and 

this also applies to Yanmar. What 

are the real sales percentages of 

electric machines? 

“It depends on the size of the product 

and it depends on the country we are 

looking at. In Europe, for example, 

if you look at the smaller products 

(wheel loaders and small excavators) 

under 3 tons, we are around 7 to 10% 

of the current market. It is a very small 

number, we believe it will increase, 

but at the moment the whole industry 

is looking for new ways to somehow 

reduce the return on investment. 

This is the difference between the automotive 

and construction machinery 

sectors at the moment: for us, the reproduct 

that we sell all over the world, 

especially in emerging economies, in 

areas where the diesel engine still has 

a long way to go. 

But beyond that, we want to find a way 

to recreate with electric technology 

what we created with diesel technology. 

We want to create an e-powertrain 

division (which means more than just 

a battery pack) and we want to become 

an e-powertrain supplier that specializes 

in compact construction and agriculture 

equipment. I think we are in 

a great position to do that because we 

know the technology and we have a 

lot of customers because the customers 

are the same ones who were buying 

diesel. And with the acquisition of 

Eleo Technologies, we are also in a 

great position to develop expertise in 

the battery pack and everything relat- 

turn on investment in our products is 

between 7 and 9 years. In other words, 

you need to run an electric product for 

7-9 years to be able to compensate for 

the additional purchase price you pay 

for the electric product compared to 

the traditional one. This is too much 

for companies that are used to keeping 

their products for 3 to 5 years. 

In the meantime, there is a reduction 

in battery costs and there is still efficiency 

to be improved, both of which 

will make the choice to go electric 

more convenient. We believe that 

when the return on investment drops 

below 5 years, that could be a turning 

point in the industry, when we can say 

to the customer: after the first 5 years 

of operation of your product, you have 

compensated for the extra cost that 

you have paid. How long it will take to 

get to that point is unknown. Without 

incentives, probably no less than 3-5 

years, but we should get there faster.” 

Are you also studying HVO or hydrogen 

solutions? 

“Of course, we have an innovation 

department that works across the different 

Yanmar groups, including construction 

and maritime, which is a 

potentially very suitable application 

for hydrogen, but of course hydrogen 

poses other challenges when it comes 

to storage and transport. The industry 

still does not know which is the best 

option between hydrogen and electric, 

this is still an open question for both 

construction and automotive. 

We believe that when it comes to replicating 

the duty cycle of machines, 

electrification is a perfectly valid 

technology up to 6 tons, but beyond 

6 tons it is a question mark. It will 

be more challenging for a number of 

reasons, for example the size of the 

batteries that need to be included to 

cope with the duty cycle of a normal 

machine. They have to be very large, 

with very long charging times and 

very high costs. 

Then maybe hydrogen could be more 

justifiable in cars under 6 tons. As we 

were saying before, one of the key elements 

is how long it takes to replicate 

the work cycle, the other is how long 

it will take to have the infrastructure: 

when you talk about electrification it 

is easier to see it, because to a certain 

extent it is already there. When it 

comes to hydrogen, the work cycle can 

be replicated very well, but the infrastructure 

is still a big question mark 

and not only for our sector.” 

36 

37

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#DEVELON #HYUNDAI 

DEVELON 

'E' AND 'H2' 

WORKING 

Develon – formerly known 

as Doosan Construction 

Equipment for the nostalgic 

– confirms its innovative 

spirit including with alternative 

powertrains. Oslo pioneered taking 

the one-way street of electrification, 

banning internal combustion 

engines, followed by Copenhagen, 

Helsinki and Trondheim. Michelle 

Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, says she 

wants to halve the 2024 Olympic 

Games’ carbon footprint compared 

to the previous edition. 

What about Develon? The 14W 

EREV (Extended Range Electric 

Vehicle) wheeled excavator didn’t 

go unnoticed at Samoter 2023 in 

Verona. The electric wheeled excavator 

was developed based on the 

DX100W, and it’s designed around 

Develon relies on 

interaction with the 

other companies 

in the group, 

last but not least 

Hyundai’s Korean 

engine-making 

arm. So, what’s its 

interpretation of 

OEMs’ call to arms 

in the zero emission 

battle? Maximum 

open-mindedness 

and flexibility, delving 

deep into electric and 

H2 applications 

the regenerative drive (eDrive), advanced 

swing equipment (eSwing) 

and eWorking systems. Powered by 

a 120-kWh battery pack (the sum of 

two 60-kWh batteries), it can run 

independently for three hours. The 

innovative approach of this equipment 

lies in the “dual” option that 

can extend its operational capacity. 

An additional battery pack can provide 

for a further three hours that 

can be extended indefinitely by 

opting for a range extender serving 

as a generator, while also curbing 

consumption by 20%. The 14W 

EREV can electrically move tools, 

like arms, and it does not even need 

an internal combustion engine to 

rotate or shift. 

Charging is guaranteed by recovering 

the kinetic energy that would 

otherwise get lost during braking 

and rotation, but also by plug-in 

charging, that brings the battery 

back to the typically operational 

level of 80% in only one and a half 

hour. At Intermat the 14W EREV 

will be joined by the DX20ZE, a 

mini excavator that uses a 20.4 

kWh lithium-ion battery pack, with 

a power density of 416Wh/l. 

The machine’s electrical systems 

and components were designed to 

cope with the conditions of environments 

that are filled with dust and 

impose huge strains on the chassis. 

Again in this case, a fast-charging 

system allows to restore 80% battery 

charge in only one hour and 

20 minutes. The on-board battery 

charger, instead, allows for a full 

charge in eight hours. 

Stephane Dieu, Excavators Product 

Manager at Develon Europe, basically 

confirms what we have told so far. 

“DX20ZE-7 was designed to meet 

a growing demand for electrical 

units. Indeed, compact machines 

such as mini excavators tend to be 

used for work in urban or residential 

areas.” 

What’s the practical implication of 

being “Made in Korea”? A far from 

negligible competitive advantage 

is that competence in battery design 

is endemic. Close proximity to 

Samsung can be felt. 

Develon itself develops the battery 

pack in-house; rated voltage is 51 

Volt and capacity is 20.4 kWh. It 

can withstand a maximum charging 

current of 268 A and a maximum 

discharge current of 500 A. 

The cells used are of the cylindrical 

INR 21700 M50L type, either 

in a 14 serial (14S) and 20 parallel 

(20P) configuration. The battery 

has an IP rating of 65, which indicates 

protection from dust as well 

as waterproofing with resistance to 

water jets from any direction. The 

compact wheeled excavator with 

range extender is the typical example 

of alternative to the categorical 

imperative of plug-in solutions. 

Develon includes this option, as it 

does with the others, in an array of 

solutions to be discussed together 

with those they were designed for. 

It’s basically a way to test the marketplace. 

The development of the 

electrical infrastructure will require 

such a massive effort that the possibility 

of switching from electrical 

38 

39

OFF-HIGHWAY 

#SAMSUNG #BEV #FCEV 

The Going Green theme is supported by identification labels 

that clearly communicate its compatibility the HVO, filling with 

biodegradable oil, etc. It also includes contamination control offered 

by Develon with organic/organic oil supplied by the assembly line. 

Also under the Going Green slogan, the Develon booth at Intermat 

also demonstrated the compatibility of its machines with Gas to 

Liquid (GtL). 

charging to hydrogen will be far 

from trivial. At Intermat, Develon 

also unveiled a hydrogen concept. 

H2 is much talked about but real 

applications are another thing; for 

some it implies steering decidedly 

towards one of the two technological 

paradigms: ICE or fuel cells? In 

early 2023 at the Wardlow quarry 

JCB showed us a backhoe loader 

and a telehandler fitted with a 4.8 

L engine derived from the Ecomax 

and running on hydrogen. According 

to British engineers, fuel cells 

under the current conditions are not 

suitable for use on construction site 

machinery. Their electrochemical 

characteristics and the effect on radiator 

cores must be factored in. In 

Korea they “disagree”; at Develon, 

they have embraced a multitasking 

approach, a holistic vision and 

an agnostic belief. Which means 

the prospects for a post-diesel era 

won’t revolve solely around BEVs. 

Lingering a little on hydrogen, 

Korean engineers are taking both 

roads- that of H2-fuelled ICEs and 

that of fuel cells. Korea has both 

technologies on the agenda. Develon 

keeps experimenting, free and 

clear. As is shown by their DL250- 

FCEV wheeled loader. Develon believes 

in flexibility, enabled by the 

equipment, featuring a hydrogen 

fuel cell powerpack or a battery 

pack. Hence one can transition into 

a battery electric vehicle just by hydraulically 

lowering the rear module. 

This slightly changes the distribution 

behind the rear axle, where 

the hydrogen tank can be mounted 

in lieu of the battery pack. If we 

crunch the numbers of the electrical 

section of this powertrain, we 

have a 320-kWh battery pack with 

a drive motor able to deliver 83 kW, 

while the motor pump provides 50 

kW. This powertrain allows up to 

8 hours of operation. Speaking of 

fuel cells, instead, power output is 

70 kW; they feed on a 20.5 kg hydrogen 

tank (five storage units, four 

kg each) at 700 bar. Based on these 

specs, combined with a wheeled 

loader typical operating cycle, the 

Korean manufacturer is allowed to 

speak of an 8 hour runtime. Performance 

and load data are virtually 

unchanged from the original ICE 

version, and so is the bucket capacity 

of 2.5 cubic metres. The internal 

combustion engine is the DL06, a 

six cylinder with a single cylinder 

displacement of one litre – almost 

on the top end of Incheon’s range 

– getting as high as 141 kW for 

track excavators, featuring a torque 

of 805 Nm. At Conexpo 2023 we 

literally put our hands on the hydrogen-fuelled 

ICE. It reflects a 

versatile approach, promptly applicable 

to the existing machinery 

stock, without significantly altering 

the application’s size and hence 

layout. The 11 L displacement, featuring 

300 kWe, 1700 Nm at 2,000 

rpm, can easily be used on 46-ton 

excavators fitted with 9 and 11 litre 

units. Sure, the price of a kg of 

green hydrogen falls in the 8 to 10 

euros range, due to production and 

compression costs, and the technology 

of an ICE is still very expensive 

(a project is worth several tens of 

million euros) and cannot be replicated 

on a whole range of engines; 

while hydrogen fuel cells are most 

widespread and readily available for 

a wider range of applications. 

The true sour note – as it always is 

whenever pondering the possibilities 

to go beyond diesel – is, indeed, 

development costs, that have 

a dramatic impact on the machinery’s 

final price. 

In the start-up phase, this technological 

incarnation, according 

to Kim Joong-soo, heading the 

company’s engine department – 

will target Develon’s strong suit 

(building sites, construction infrastructures) 

but also other vehicle 

and stationary applications. “Hydrogen-fuelled 

ICEs will be used 

for commercial vehicles of medium 

to large size, such as trucks, buses 

and building machinery, as well 

as for power generators of medium 

and large size”. 

The key point here – not so much 

for Develon as for a system-wide 

prospect – is how to make any 

technology whatsoever ready for 

use. For the time being, a blanket 

solution – a so-called game-changer 

– still can’t be found. It depends 

on applications, infrastructural networks, 

on its spreading and largescale 

production, as well as on other 

“floating” variables such as the 

geopolitical setting and the lawmakers’ 

decisions – at both micro 

and macro-levels. Only time will 

tell which technology will be the 

strongest driver of all. 

40 

41

COMPONENTS 

#ABB #EPIROC #MINING 

ABB & EPIROC 

BREATHING 

UNDER 

GROUND 

Batteries, converters and traction 

motors. For mining, and 

more, there are also BESS, 

conduits and shells to protect 

the wiring and much more. As 

they told us: “We are among the 

few in this field that can supply integrated 

systems, which include a 

converter, motor and batteries. We 

have a family of inverters and DC/ 

DC converters, traction motors, 

traction batteries, PLCs”. 

We recently told you about the Hitachi 

dump truck equipped with a 

pantograph, accumulator system, 

and regenerative braking. Let’s 

move on to current events, which in 

our case are called Epiroc. The conditions 

are challenging, because of 

the demand for expendable torque 

at the wheels and stability in power 

The strategy of 

penetration undertaken 

by ABB among the 

meanderings of the 

underground, in 

mining applications, is 

producing immediate 

results. After the 

prototype with Hitachi, 

it is the turn of Epiroc. 

We are in Sweden. 

The trucks can thus 

work without releasing 

exhaust pollutants and 

muzzling noise pollution 

delivery. The environmental conditions 

impose a tough and constant 

test, for the machines used and the 

well-being of workers. We are in 

the Boliden mine in Kristineberg, 

northern Sweden. Imagine a track 

of 800 metres with a 13% incline. 

These are the operating conditions 

to which Epiroc’s Minetruck MT42 

SG battery-electric trolley truck 

and ABB’s eMine Trolley System 

are called upon to meet. This entirely 

made-in-Sweden operation describes 

the first mine trolley truck 

system to be completely powered 

by electric batteries. This is best 

explained by those involved, starting 

with Wayne Symes, President 

Underground Division, Epiroc, who 

commented: “Together, with very 

close partnerships, we can acceler- 

ate the transformation and speed of 

innovation in mining technology as 

we have done at Kristineberg. In a 

short period of time, we have developed 

and implemented technology 

not only to reduce CO 2 

emissions, 

but also to significantly increase the 

distance travelled by battery-powered 

vehicles on heavy haul ramps, 

lower operating costs and improve 

health and safety in mining environments.” 

Let’s now turn to Max Luedtke, 

Global Business Line Manager 

Mining, ABB: “We put a lot of passion 

and commitment into making 

real progress for the mining industry. 

Seeing the first battery-electric 

trolley truck system in operation is 

not only the result of our collaboration 

with Boliden and Epiroc, but a 

real breakthrough for the industry. 

We have launched the methods and 

solutions of the ABB eMine concept 

to bring electrification to all mining 

operations, from the grid to the 

wheel, and the installation at Kristineberg 

demonstrates the effectiveness 

of these functionalities.” 

It happens in many team sports, 

from football to volleyball: decisive 

actions are finalised with three 

passes. And three are the players 

in this project. Epiroc has added 

dynamic charging to its proven 

Minetruck MT42 SG battery-powered 

trolley truck, equipping the 

solution with ABB’s DC converter, 

HES880 inverters and AMXE motors 

to boost power. The truck is 

equipped with a pantograph connected 

to an overhead catenary sys- 

tem, a solution particularly suitable 

for very long ramps. The electric 

line provides additional assistance 

to the battery-powered mining trolley 

truck on steep slopes under full 

load, extending the range and allowing 

battery regeneration during 

“drifts”, significantly increasing 

mining productivity. ABB created 

the infrastructure from grid to 

wheel, including the design of the 

electric trolley truck system and 

the rectifier substation for the test 

track. Boliden intends to implement 

a large-scale autonomous electric 

trolley truck system at the Rävliden 

mine, and has placed an order with 

Epiroc for four Minetruck MT42 

SG trolley trucks. The total distance 

will be 5 kilometres at a depth of 

750 metres. 

42 

43

COMPONENTS 

#ZF #TRANSMISSIONS 

ZF CETRAX 2 DUAL 

RELIABLE 

'HEAVY' AND 

STRONG 

ZF’s CeTrax 2 dual covers the 

range from midi to heavy duty, 

up to 44 tonnes. It enables the 

zero-emission mission for both 

battery and pantograph or fuel cell 

vehicles. It is available at 260 kW and 

380 kW, which delivers a continuous 

torque on the output flange of 10,700 

Nm, with a peak of 24,700 Nm, for 

a 30-second continuous use. CeTrax 

2 dual relies on two synchronous, 

permanent magnet motors and uses 

hairpin technology. The usual motor 

construction technology involves 

windings with spirally wound copper 

wire. In this case, the stator windings 

rely on high-density material. For the 

same volume we have more copper, 

which allows for greater magnetic 

fields and, consequently, better performance. 

The motors are immersed 

The CeTrax 2 dual 

is designed for 

commercial vehicles 

ranging from 18 to 44 

tonnes. Oil cooling 

technology and silicon 

carbide inverter. There 

are three gear ratios, 

and the components 

are developed inhouse: 

from the 

ESP90 control unit to 

software to the lowvoltage 

wiring. The two 

synchronous motors 

allow load balancing 

in oil, which takes care of both motor 

cooling and gear lubrication. Oil 

cooling means there is no need for 

pressure compensation, which could 

cause problems on the oil seals and 

oil leaks. There is also no corrosion. 

The two motors are powered by two 

inverters. They are developed inhouse 

by ZF and use SiC, silicon carbide 

technology. The semiconductors 

are capable of operating voltages of 

800 Volts, with 850V peaks. They 

individually deliver maximum peak 

currents of 530 amperes. The switching 

components, i.e. the semiconductors, 

work at frequencies up to 40 kW 

and thus allow high switching speeds. 

The power density and savings in 

component consumption have a positive 

impact on the vehicle’s range. 

The motor has two cascaded plane- 

tary gearboxes inside, which allows 

up to three speed ratios. This makes 

it possible to make the most of power 

and cope with full load situations 

and steep gradients. The first gear ratio 

is around 10, the second gear is 

7.9, and the third gear ratio is 3.25. 

The ratios are managed by software 

in powershift mode, thus not forcing 

the vehicle to stop for gear changes, 

which take place with the drive engaged. 

The various ratios are engaged 

via two fork actuators. They, depending 

on the combination, are able to 

engage a shorter or longer gear. The 

two actuators, as well as the entire 

peripheral control, both the inverters 

and the sensors connected to the 

central electric motor, are driven by 

a new control unit, the ESP90, which 

is built in-house by ZF. The ZF software 

also manages the inverters and 

the gear engagement programme. It 

is ready for the new cybersecurity 

regulations and has a programme to 

recognise both mechanical and electrical 

faults of the central motor, and 

it provides information to those carrying 

out the diagnosis. The central 

motor is equipped with an electric 

pump, controlled by a low voltage 

control unit; the high voltage only 

reaches the two inverters. The peripheral 

part operates at low voltage. 

The system is wired with low-voltage 

wiring from ZF, which is therefore 

outside the high-voltage cable 

regulation. There is also an oil-water 

heat exchanger that cools the gears, 

oil and motors. The two motors enable 

load balancing. In case one overheats, 

the software is able to balance 

the strain, unloading one motor and 

loading the other, to allow the system 

to cool down. Among the sensors in 

ZF’s CeTrax 2 dual architecture, the 

temperature sensor is located on the 

crankshaft. The speed sensor, on the 

other hand, is crucial for controlling 

the crankshaft speed and avoiding 

loss of power and torque. In fact, 

the drive shaft must always be in 

synchronism with the magnetic field 

movement. There is also a sensor for 

the tachograph. A vent, protected by 

the hood that also shelters the two 

actuators, allows over-pressures to 

escape, preventing problems with the 

sealing system. In order to facilitate 

the transfer of the component, the Ce- 

Trax 2 dual has three hooks to facilitate 

handling both in the factory and 

in the workshop. 

44 

45

MARINE 

#VOLVOPENTA #ALILAURO 

VOLVO PENTA IPS 30 

MOVING 

GIOVE 

JET 

Why are we here, at Molo 

Beverella in the Port of 

Naples? Andrea Piccione, 

Sales Director at 

Volvo Penta Italy, explains it. 

“We are celebrating the launch 

of Giove Jet, a fast catamaran 

equipped with an IPS 30 quad, with 

800hp D13 engines, complete with 

SCR, which has enabled IMO III approval 

for gaseous emissions. Never 

before has a catamaran of this size 

been equipped with the IPS. The hull 

dates back to 1985. It was built by 

the Marinteknik Verkstads shipyard 

in Oregrund, Sweden. It is 33 metres 

long, 9.3 metres wide and has 

a capacity of 261 passengers. The 

two key words of the project are sustainability 

and efficiency”, Piccione 

continues. “Over the last few years, 

In Naples, where 

marine traffic is the 

busiest on a planetary 

scale after Hong Kong, 

Alilauro presented 

Giove Jet, together 

with Volvo Penta. It is 

the largest passenger 

catamaran equipped 

with a quadruple 

IPS 30. Looking 

at numbers, in an 

operating cycle of over 

2,000 hours per year, it 

saves 30% diesel and 

one million kg of CO 2 

it has been treated, from the point 

of view of on-board energy sources, 

almost with a sports fan attitude. 

There are no universal technologies 

for every operating cycle. The issue 

of propulsive efficiency has been lost 

sight of. Whatever the fuel source on 

board, transferring energy efficiently 

is an asset for every energy source.” 

Efficiency that, in this case, rhymes 

with IPS pod transmissions. 

“The pod is a central product in 

Volvo Penta’s architecture and it is 

widely established in the market. 

You can set up different technology 

demonstrators with alternative energy 

sources, but we have to consider 

the concrete needs of Alilauro and 

the shipowners: to ensure operabil- 

ity, efficiency, reliability and thus 

enable the shipowner to fulfil their 

mission. With an efficiency measured 

both on the bench test and in the water, 

the IPS makes it possible to reduce 

consumption by at least 30%. 

On an operating cycle of more than 

2,000 hours per year, this means 

saving more than a million kilos of 

CO 2 

. The set up found on the Giove 

Jet is designed for diesel and allows 

for the downsizing of all on-board 

systems, such as the SCR, with a significant 

reduction in vibration and 

noise for both passengers and operators, 

who spend up to ten hours a 

day on the vessel. As each technology 

matures, this system will dovetail 

perfectly with fuel cells, batteries, 

methanol, all in the name of efficiency. 

Volvo Penta engines are already 

ready for HVO. When the logistical 

conditions are right, we can switch 

over instantly.” 

“The project lasted just two years, 

all in all not very long for such a 

boat. It started with co-engineering 

with the shipyard. We managed to 

get Alilauro to digest the IPS without 

any problems. There were two 

2,600 hp mtus in the engine room, 

with water jets. Our system resulted 

in a clear saving in both space and 

diesel consumption, which amounts 

to 30%. Efficient pods allow downsizing 

of the ICE and a host of additional 

benefits. We are talking about 

automotive-derived products, Volvo 

Trucks. The oil filters, belts and other 

components are cheaper than their 

large-displacement equivalents, and 

have lower costs than the two previ- 

ously installed engines. The correct 

calibration of the engines is part 

of Volvo Penta’s preventive study, 

depending on the duty cycles and 

performance requirements. It is the 

largest passenger catamaran among 

those equipped with a quadruple IPS 

30. This is the first time with this 

owner, who – given the excellent results 

– has also asked us for simulations 

for larger ferries, for which a 

new generation IPS will be needed: 

Volvo Penta’s newly launched IPS 

professional platform, with larger 

pods and double engine input on 

each pod. Thus, it is possible to modulate 

the engine ignition according 

to the instantaneous load. Only two 

out of four engines could then work 

in port, consolidating the economic 

benefits.” 

46 

47

SUSTAINABLE TECHNO 

#SCANIA #PROTON #SUBLIME #ROLLSROYCE 

SCANIA ELECTRIC SIDE 

FUEL CELLS FOR EMERGENCY POWER SYSTEMS 

LIKE THE 

V8 

Scania’s C3-6 e-machine is 

the electric equivalent of the 

V8 engine. The Swedish engineering 

decided to push on 

the accelerator, providing an electrified 

answer to die-hard fans of 

Scania’s highest-performing V8, 

16-liter internal combustion engine. 

It comes in two different power ratings: 

400 and 450 kW. The design 

features three electric machines 

and a six-speed gearbox with double 

input shafts. “This means we 

can continue to propel the vehicle 

forward while shifting gears; two 

of the electric machines propel the 

vehicle, while the third synchronises 

the next gear,” says Fredrik 

Sundén, an e-mobility developer at 

Scania Research & Development. 

“The dual input shafts also allow 

us to offer a versatile Power Take 

Off programme. One input shaft can 

drive the PTO while the other drives 

the vehicle, making PTO possible 

both at standstill and when driving.” 

The versatile C1-4 e-machine corresponds 

to a six-cylinder Scania Super 

concerning the crucial issue of 

the fuel consumption. It’s the go-to 

choice for a 40-tonne tractor-trailer 

combination on the autobahn. With 

power ratings from 270 to 400 kW 

and a four-speed gearbox, it provides 

performance for a vast number 

of medium weight transport tasks. 

Common to all three present Scania 

e-machines is that they are centrally 

placed in the vehicle construction. 

The power from the electric machine 

is sent to the wheels via the 

propeller shaft through a differential 

and a set of axles. An alternative 

technical solution would be an 

e-axle that integrates an electric motor, 

power electronics and gearbox 

into one unit, directly powering the 

wheels. “Ultimately, it depends on 

the application as to which solution 

suits best. At Scania we believe that 

a centrally placed e-machine is the 

most flexible and efficient solution at 

the moment,” says Hans Petersson, 

Senior Product Manager within Scania 

e-Trucks. An e-axle solution has 

its potential pros in terms of weight 

and freeing up space in the frame, 

but it also has its cons, according to 

Petersson. 

“Having more unsuspended weight 

and lower ground clearance means 

that an e-axle could work well on flat 

highways but not on uneven or rough 

roads. The e-axle solution could also 

mean less loading capacity, and the 

PTO possibilities are limited.” 

The German 

Federal 

Cabinet 

passed the 

new “Hydrogen 

Acceleration Act” 

for the rapid establishment 

and 

expansion of the 

framework conditions 

for the production, 

storage 

and import of hydrogen. 

According 

to the Minister 

for Economic Affairs 

and Climate 

Action, Robert 

Habeck, this is 

another milestone 

on the way to the 

hydrogen economy 

and its market ramp-up in Europe. 

The long-term and unavoidable reduction 

of CO 2 

emissions in all sectors of 

the economy can only be achieved 

by switching to renewable energies. 

Some industrial sectors are not electrifiable 

in terms of decarbonisation, 

such as long-haul aircraft. But already 

now, for example, the “Deutsche 

Bahn AG” has formalised the phasing 

out of diesel generators in the emergency 

power application by 2026. As 

an alternative to uninterruptible and 

emission-free electricity, as is necessary 

for signal boxes, hydrogen fuel 

cell systems are available. The German 

high-tech company Proton Motor 

Fuel Cell can currently announce 

the successful handover and completion 

of the stationary follow-up order 

to the DB subsidiary “DB Bahnbau 

Gruppe”. Proton Motor has supplied 

the customer with a complete hydrogen 

fuel cell backup power system, 

which has passed the site acceptance 

test as well as series and operational 

testing. The scope of supply includes 

the plug-and-play “HyCabinet S24” 

fuel cell system for indoor use, which 

consists of three fully redundant “Hy- 

Module S8” systems. 

Sublime Energie unveils its biogas liquefaction technology 

Sublime Energie’s technology is based on an innovative biogas liquefaction 

process directly on the farm. By introducing a carrier agent into the 

biogas, the company overcomes technical constraints related to mixture 

crystallization. This process is protected by the company’s first patent. 

The second patent covers the centralized purification phase, where the 

three substances are separated before mutual valorisation. Technical 

results are promising, achieving liquefaction of a ternary mixture with a 

predefined final composition corresponding to biogas with 50% CH 4 

and 

50% CO 2 

. This composition was verified through gas chromatography 

measurements, with a 2% deviation due to measurement uncertainty. 

ROLLS-ROYCE IN THE PHOENIX PROJECT TO DEVELOP HYDROGEN ENGINE 

Rolls-Royce has started, with a consortium of five companies and research institutes, to develop the necessary technologies 

for a highly efficient first-of-a-kind hydrogen combustion engine to drive CHP systems. Under the Phoenix 

(Performance Hydrogen Engine for Industrial and X) project, funded by the German Government, the consortium 

aims to generate the same electrical and thermal energy (power density and efficiency) as currently available through 

natural gas CHP units in the higher power range of up to 2.5 MW. When fuelled by green hydrogen, this next generation 

stationary energy plant will be able to run in a completely carbon neutral manner. The project is being funded 

by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection with a total of almost five million euros. 

48 

49

TECHNO 

#KENWORTH #PACCAR #CARB 

PACCAR MX-13 FOR KENWORTH 

SUPPLEMENT 

Engines and components for OEM 

Culture, technology, purposes 

and market of diesel engines 

Established in 1986 

Editor in chief 

Maurizio Cervetto 

Managing editor 

Fabio Butturi 

Editorial staff 

Stefano Agnellini, Ornella Cavalli, 

Fabrizio Dalle Nogare, Stefano Eliseo, 

Fabio Franchini, Riccardo Schiavo, 

Cristina Scuteri 

Contributors 

Carolina Gambino, 

Maria Grazia Gargioni, 

Erika Pasquini, 

Mariagiulia Spettoli 

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 

visit our website 

Sustainable 

TRUCK 

& van 

www.sustainabletruckvan.com 

Kenworth has introduced a 

CARB compliant version of 

the Paccar MX-13 engine for 

heavy-duty Kenworth models 

that meet 2024 requirements. The new 

Paccar MX-13 CARB-compliant engine 

is available to order now on select 

Class 8 models, including the T680, 

T880 and W990. Production will begin 

in the fourth quarter of 2024. The Paccar 

MX-13 CARB-compliant engine 

features new aftertreatment hardware 

that meets stringent California low nitrogen 

oxide emissions requirements. 

To meet the more stringent CARB 

emissions requirements, the MX-13 

CARB engine utilizes a twin-canister 

SCR aftertreatment along with more 

optimized emissions controls systems 

while continuing to provide excellent 

reliability, performance, and efficiency. 

The Paccar CARB-compliant MX- 

13 engine is available in two options: a 

510-horsepower rating with 2,508 Nm 

of torque and a 455-horsepower rating 

with 2,237 Nm of torque. Both ratings 

allow for superior performance and 

drivability without compromise on 

fuel economy. Together with the Paccar 

TX transmissions, and Paccar DX 

rear axles, the MX-13 CARB-compli- 

ant engine allows for an industry leading 

efficient and integrated low-NOx 

solution. “Our customers are looking 

for better options to successfully navigate 

the complexities of the evolving 

regulatory landscape and Kenworth 

models equipped with Paccar’s MX- 

13 CARB-compliant engine achieve 

compliance with stringent emissions 

regulations while also delivering a 

solution that drives increased engine 

efficiency and enhanced fuel economy,” 

said Kevin Haygood, Kenworth 

assistant general manager for sales 

and marketing. 

Even in North America, where the 

ACT Expo recently celebrated alternatives 

to fossil fuels for commercial 

vehicles, the search for optimized 

combustion cycles and higher-performance 

engines that can reduce PM 

and NOX continues. On the other side 

of the Atlantic Ocean, Paccar owns 

the Dutch company DAF, one of the 

historic seven European truck manufacturers. 

The 12.9-liters 6-cylinder 

in-line diesel engine (BxS: 130 x 162 

mm) is Euro 6 compliant with VGT 

and 2500 bar common rail system 

with two high-pressure pump units integrated 

in the engine block. 

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Powertrain International 2024-4

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