Projects
Cummins Inc. Ultra-Low Carbon Powertrain Program
Cummins Inc. (Cummins) will develop a medium-duty hybrid truck engine optimized for E85 ethanol fuel with the primary goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while matching performance, economy and fuel cost of a diesel counterpart vehicle.
In order to deliver this level of GHG reduction, Cummins will employ three primary technology components. These include adapting a medium-duty engine specifically to use E85 fuel, reducing the engine size from 6.7L to 4.5L as a means to increase fuel efficiency, and developing an integrated start/stop system to improve fuel economy by eliminating engine idling.
Cummins plans to develop a 4.5L engine leveraging on-going work from existing Cummins programs. The 4.5L alcohol fueled engine provides sufficient torque and power for a medium-duty application in Class 6 even without the electric motor associated with the hybrid system.
Grant Amount
The Energy Commission is providing $2,715,707.
Match Funding
The project participants are providing a minimum of $3,153,452.
Project Participants
Cummins is a major worldwide manufacturer capable of quickly commercializing this technology in California and worldwide through their existing network.
Project Benefits
Successful completion of this project may result in a new market for E85 fuel now dominated by gasoline and diesel. E85 hybrid has GHG reduction potentials from 0-60 percent depending on the feed source used and the vehicle drive cycle. California produced corn ethanol would produce 10-20 percent reduction in GHG emissions.
Grant Agreement Number: ARV-10-044