A $54 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is going to fund two projects at Cummins Engine Co. aimed at improving fuel efficiency in heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles. (Read more about Cummins)
The first part of the grant to Cummins provides $39 million to develop a highly efficient Class 8 tractor – dubbed a “SuperTruck” by the OEM – in partnership with Peterbilt Motors Co. It will combine a highly efficient and clean diesel engine, an advanced waste heat recovery system, an aerodynamic Peterbilt tractor-and-trailer combination, plus a fuel cell auxiliary power unit to reduce engine idling.
An additional $15 million supports a Cummins powertrain project for light-duty vehicles that aims to create a low emissions diesel engine capable of achieving a 40% fuel economy improvement over conventional gasoline technology while significantly exceeding 2010 EPA emissions requirements.
The Cummins awards were among nine DOE project awards totaling more than $187 million.
