FPT Industrial, the global powertrain brand of CNH Industrial, is spearheading research into the evaluation, testing and use of alternative fuels. The brand’s commitment to deliver innovative low-emission powertrain solutions is demonstrated through its support of two European sustainability projects.
LONGRUN (the acronym stands for the development of efficient and environmentally friendly LONG-distance poweRtrain for heavy dUty trucks aNd coaches) is part of a European Union Horizon 2020 innovation program which brings together 30 partners, including sister brand IVECO—the company’s commercial vehicles brand—from 13 countries across Europe. These partners are joining forces to accelerate the path towards a smarter and more sustainable future. The ambitious goal of the LONGRUN initiative is the reduction of real driving emissions and fuel consumption in the long-haul transport sector. This will help support decision making in the industry with recent and validated results, as well as making recommendations for future policies.
The project will also promote the design and development of efficient powertrains, including hybrids for both trucks and coaches. The partners will develop eight demonstration units (three engines, one hybrid driveline, two coaches and three trucks) so as to accelerate the transition from fossil-based fuels to alternative and renewable alternatives. The LONGRUN project will contribute to lowering the impact by developing different engines, drivelines and demonstrator vehicles with 10% energy and 10% CO2 savings, 30% lower exhaust emissions (NOx, CO and others), and 50% peak thermal efficiency.
With the proposed initiatives, a leading position in hybrid powertrain technology and internal combustion engines operating on renewable fuels in Europe will be guaranteed, underlining how a multipower approach is necessary to achieve these sustainable targets, says FPT.
FPT Industrial and IVECO are also instrumental partners in the IMPERIUM project, (IMplementation of Powertrain Control for Economic and Clean Real driving EmIssion and ConsUMption), a consortium of major European truck and engine manufacturers, systems and services providers, Universities and Research Centers. The project’s aim, under the auspices of the European Commission and the European Green Vehicles Initiative EGVI, a contractual Public Private Partnership (cPPP), was to deliver environmentally friendly vehicles and mobility system solutions of the future.
The IMPERIUM consortium is responsible for 45% of the heavy-duty vehicles manufactured in the EU and can provide a 100% European value chain for the development of future powertrain control strategies for trucks.
The project’s principle objective was to achieve a 20% fuel consumption (diesel and urea) reduction, with consequent CO2 reductions compared to a model year 2014 vehicle. This led to the development of a new means of predictive and comprehensive powertrain control which maximizes the full potential of the individual systems for each vehicle application and mission. The newly developed components have been first validated on various platforms such as Hardware in the Loop (HiL), engine testbed and demonstrator trucks, including an IVECO Stralis powered by FPT Industrial, and then further integrated into this environment for evaluation of their impact on the complete system.
These initiatives will ensure that Europe establishes itself at the forefront of both hybrid powertrain technology and internal combustion engines powered by renewable fuels thereby demonstrating that a multipower approach is vital in achieving these sustainable targets.
