TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY

ENGINEERING ®

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Truck & Off-Highway Engineering June 2025

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 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY
ENGINEERING ®

DIESEL
Lastdive
deep Call to Engineer the Extraordinary!
Role of Turn your bold ideas into breakthrough innovations.
remanufacturing Enter the Create the Future Design Contest to compete
JDPS’ clean- for $50,000 in prizes and connect with industry
sheet JD4 leaders who can help turn your designs into reality.

Volvo’s new
D13 VGT
Entry Deadline: July 1, 2025
CreateTheFutureContest.com

Elevating
electric
Bosch Rexroth addresses
electrified systems
Battery experts embrace
task-specific designs
HVAC strategies for
June 2025 mobilityengineeringtech.com off-highway EVs
Last Call to Engineer the Extraordinary!
Turn your bold ideas into breakthrough innovations.
Enter the Create the Future Design Contest to compete
for $50,000 in prizes and connect with industry
leaders who can help turn your designs into reality.

Entry Deadline: July 1, 2025

CreateTheFutureContest.com
 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY
ENGINEERING ®

DIESEL
deep dive
Role of
remanufacturing
JDPS’ clean-
sheet JD4
Volvo’s new
D13 VGT

Elevating
electric
Bosch Rexroth addresses
electrified systems
Battery experts embrace
task-specific designs
HVAC strategies for
June 2025 mobilityengineeringtech.com off-highway EVs
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CONTENTS
FEATURES REGULARS
22 Developing next-gen diesels to 4 Editorial
last decades POWERTRAIN Tech — and tariffs — top of mind at tradeshows
John Deere’s newest combustion engines are designed to accommodate 8 Technical Innovations
alternative fuels and evolving technologies as requirements demand.
8 ACT Expo 2025: Battery experts fret tariffs,
encourage specific designs | ELECTRIFICATION
26 New Volvo D13 VGT utilizes 24V
architecture POWERTRAIN 12 How HVAC systems can adapt to the needs
of electric off-highway vehicles | THERMAL
Volvo Trucks North America launches the all-new VNR with standard MANAGEMENT
D13 VGT engine and announces an upcoming CARB-24 Omnibus
compliant engine variant. 13 Clarios brings AI to idle management for
heavy trucks | CONNECTIVITY
30 Next reman up: The role of engine 15 Maintaining protection for next-gen HD
remanufacturing POWERTRAIN | MANUFACTURING engine lubricants | LUBRICANTS
While new sustainability efforts aim to curb the carbon footprint of 18 After successful trials, Cellcentric moves to build
the commercial vehicle industry, old methods continue to be among NextGen fuel cell for anyone | PROPULSION
the most effective.
36 Original Equipment
33 Challenges and opportunities for 36 ACT Expo 2025: Heavy-duty EVs, H2 trucks
electrifying machines ELECTRIFICATION | HYDRAULICS and tariff talk dominate
The switch to electrified off-highway vehicles can help reduce 39 No fear of loading: Driving the 2025 Ram
reliance on hydraulic components that decrease system efficiency Heavy Duty
via parasitic losses.
42 Product Briefs
43 Q&A
ON THE COVER Transmission talk: Eaton’s commercial gearboxes
John Deere Power Systems’ newest clean-sheet design, the JD4, is
expected to be available by the end of 2026. Shown at Bauma
2025, the engine is currently installed on dozens of test vehicles.
(Image: SAE/Ryan Gehm)

39
follow us @SAEOHEMag
Truck & Off-Highway Engineering®, June 2025, Volume 33, Number 3. Truck & Off-Highway
Engineering (ISSN 2475-6148) is published in February, April, June, August, October,
December by SAE Media Group, 261 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1901, New York, NY 10016 and printed
in Mechanicsburg, PA. Copyright © 2025 SAE International. Annual print subscription for SAE
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Engineering title is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and feature articles
are indexed and included in SAE Mobilus®. For additional information, free demos are
available at https://saemobilus.sae.org/.
ISSN 2475-6148 (print)

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 EDITORIAL EDITORIAL MD, PA, DE:
John Murray
+1.973.409.4685
Ryan Gehm john.murray@saemediagroup.com
Editor-in-Chief
Ryan.Gehm@sae.org Midwest/Great Lakes:
IN, MI, WI, IA, IL, MN
Sebastian Blanco Chris Kennedy
Tech — and tariffs — top of mind at tradeshows Senior Editor
sebastian.blanco@saemediagroup.com
+1.847.498.4520, x3008
chris@didierandbroderick.com

April saw two major tradeshows take and support existing agreements. So this Chris Clonts Midwest/Central Canada:
Senior Editor
place, playing host to numerous ad- is really a challenge.” chris.clonts@saemediagroup.com
KS, KY, MO, NE, ND, SD, ON, MB
Bob Casey
vanced vehicle and technology reveals The “world” has already changed. A +1.847.223.5225
Matthew Wolfe bobc@caseyreps.com
from global OEMs and suppliers — some “reset” in trade terms between the U.S. Assistant Editor
matthew.wolfe@saemediagroup.com CA, WA, OR, AZ, NM,
of which are detailed in these pages. and China announced on May 12 saw Rocky Mountain States:
Bauma in Munich, Germany, a leading both countries lower tariffs by 115%. The Amanda Hosey Tim Powers
Editor, Custom Content +1.908.892.2838
trade fair for the construction and mining U.S. lowered tariffs to 30% and China’s amanda.hosey@saemediagroup.com timothy.powers@saemediagroup.com
vehicle industries, saw around 600,000 stand at 10% — for now.
visitors from more than 200 countries During an ACT Expo panel session on Contributors International
and regions, as well as over 3,600 exhibi- batteries, Trevor Grant, cell develop- John Kendall Europe:
Europe Editor
tors from 57 nations. Billed as the largest ment manager for Infinity battery mak- Sven Anacker
+49.202.373294.11
advanced CV technology show, ACT er Electrovaya, said it would be exceed- Kami Buchholz, Jeremy sa@intermediapro.de
Korzeniewski, Bill Visnic
Expo engaged more than 12,000 stake- ingly difficult to produce cells in the Sabine Schoett
+49.202.373294.13
holders from at least 54 countries, in- U.S. unless they come with some sort of
cluding over 2,700 fleet operators. competitive advantage, writes senior DESIGN ss@intermediapro.de

But just as present as the technology editor Chris Clonts in his coverage of Lois Erlacher Integrated Media
itself at these shows was the ongoing the session (see page 8).
Creative Director
Consultants
uncertainty stemming from the Trump “The customer needs a reason to buy Ray Carlson
Patrick Harvey
Associate Art Director
administration’s volatile trade policy an- the cell. If you’re trying to produce the +1.973.409.4686
patrick.harvey@saemediagroup.com
nounced on April 2 involv- same cell domestically,
SALES &
ing steep tariffs that have The world there’s no reason because
MARKETING
Todd Holtz
+1.973.545.2566
been adjusted frequently it’s the same cell, just 50
in the ensuing weeks. will change percent more expensive,” Joe Pramberger
todd.holtz@saemediagroup.com

— every four Publisher Rick Rosenberg

Chinese manufacturer Grant said. “So our focus joe.pramberger@saemediagroup.com +1.973.545.2565
rick.rosenberg@saemediagroup.com
LiuGong held a press con-
ference on April 7 at
years there’s a really is on the cell tech-
nology side. The custom-
Kaitlyn Sommer
Marketing Director Jason Setti

Bauma offering insights new President. er’s reason to buy is either kaitlyn.sommer@saemediagroup.com +1.973.874.0271
jason.setti@saemediagroup.com
into the company’s R&D for tariff reasons, green-
and product strategy, particularly for the house reasons or technology reasons.” REGIONAL SALES Chris Tsakonas
+1.973.409.4762
European market. LiuGong introduced Clonts also discussed hydrogen fuel North America chris.tsakonas@saemediagroup.com

four new battery-electric vehicles, in- cells with Tarek Abdel-Baset, Forvia’s New England/Eastern Canada:
CT, ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, QC
cluding what it calls the world’s first chief engineer for hydrogen storage sys- Brian Hines
24-tonne all-electric motor grader. The tems, at ACT Expo. Asked about the im- +1.647.296.5014
brian.hines@saemediagroup.com
4280DE is equipped with a 423-kWh pact of tariffs, Abdel-Baset took a ratio-
battery and reportedly delivers 8 to 10 nal approach to the situation: “That’s Mid-Atlantic/Southeast/TX:
TX, OK, LA, AR, MS, AL, TN, FL, SC,
hours of operation on a single charge. affecting everybody across every indus- NC, GA, DC, WV, VA
That was the tech. Then came the tar- try. That’ll settle out at some point, right? Ray Tompkins
+1.281.313.1004
iff talk. Zeng Guang’an, chairman and We’ve been through all these shocks. We ray.tompkins@saemediagroup.com
CEO of Guangxi LiuGong Machinery, know as an auto industry, we’re going to NY, NJ, OH:
responded to a question about its plans get through these. It’ll settle out.” Ryan Beckman SUBSCRIPTIONS
+1.973.409.4687 +1.866.354.1125
for North America. “We do have enough Flexibility will be needed, and tested, ryan.beckman@saemediagroup.com TOH@OMEDA.COM
manufacturing in the world. What we do, to navigate this era of evolving tariffs,
we focus on Mexico and Canada, too. But especially until it does settle out — per-
we are keeping a strong presence in the haps with the next administration, if not
U.S.,” he said. LiuGong North America is before. As Jordan Choby, group VP of
located in Katy, Texas. “[There are] too powertrain for Toyota Motor North
many taxes on Chinese agreements, but America R&D, noted in April during an
the world will change — every four years SAE WCX panel session on propulsion
there’s a new President. But the U.S. is strategies, “Powertrain cycles are longer
valuable in the market, and we already than Presidential cycles.”
have solid customers. We must protect Ryan Gehm, Editor-in-Chief

4 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

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I N S I D E STO RY
Since high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) grades were introduced decades ago, steel mills continue to
develop materials with higher tensile strength and improved formability. Today, steel mills also offer
ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS) from Grade 100 to 160 and martensitic grades. Allison Lucak, met-
allurgist at Steel Warehouse, discusses the advantages of these high-strength steel grades, which
offer benefits to many industries — including the commercial vehicle market. These materials offer
an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, making them ideal for fabricating trucks, buses, construction,
agricultural and other off-highway equipment that demand both performance and efficiency.

Truck & Off-Highway Engineering: In what ways do high- where HSLA can be used for frame parts like flanges,
strength steels allow for increased equipment payload bumpers and chassis.
and lift capacity?
TOHE: High-strength steels are known for their durability
Allison Lucak: Equipment used in and their ability to improve equipment performance. How
mining, construction, agriculture, do they do this?
transportation and other industries
shares a common constraint: capac- Lucak: High-strength is a reference to the steel’s yield and
ity. For equipment like excavators tensile strength properties, but high-strength steels also
and crane booms, the capacity is an have increased hardness compared to mild steels. This
equation of balance. On an excava- makes them more abrasion resistant and will improve the
tor, the weight of the boom and the service life of wear surfaces.
bucket limit the equipment’s capa- Most any industry — from construction to agriculture
bility to move a certain amount of and mining — is keen to improve the performance of its
mass; too much mass in the bucket will compromise the equipment and HSLA supports that goal. Reducing the
structural balance, endangering the operator. High-strength weight of components also reduces stress on them, so
steels allow equipment like excavators to be fabricated us- equipment lasts longer. Better performing and more du-
ing less weight in critical areas without sacrificing perfor- rable equipment can improve customer satisfaction and
mance. In fact, by doubling the strength of the material, improve fabricators’ position in the marketplace.
fabricators can reduce the weight of a part by one-third.
This concept applies to equipment across the commer- TOHE: How do high-strength steels help companies re-
cial vehicle industry that operate under capacity con- duce their carbon footprint?
straints. Conventionally, lower strength steels are used in
increasing thicknesses to compensate for the lack of Lucak: Supply chains in the steel industry can be large.
strength. When high-strength steels are used instead, thin- Between steel mills, service centers, additional processes
ner steel parts meet the dynamic requirements of ad- like surface treatments and forming, fabricators and OEMS,
vanced fabrications, while simultaneously freeing up struc- a steel part maybe be shuttled many miles before finally
tural weight. Instead of carrying itself, the equipment can being installed. Weight limits on trailers restrict the num-
carry more of what it needs to. A lighter fabrication also ber of parts that can be shipped at one time, but by reduc-
allows for more space, more weight and more productivity. ing the weight of each part, many more parts can be
shipped. This means fewer trucks on the road and a small-
TOHE: How do high-strength steels help improve the fuel er carbon footprint.
efficiency of equipment?
TOHE: Lightweighting equipment with high-strength
Lucak: The same principle that makes high-strength steels steels can lower costs. How so?
valuable for heavy, loaded equipment also makes it valu-
able for other engine-operated machines. When thick, Lucak: Even though high-strength steels have a modest
lower strength components are replaced with thinner, price increase on a per pound basis over lower grades,
high-strength components, the overall weight of the fabri- lightweighting can help lower material costs. Steel is
cation decreases. This means that trucks, combines, trac- priced by weight, and as the grade extra increases, the
tors and more can use less fuel for the same function. For total weight required decreases. For high-strength low
electric vehicles, lightweighting components allows for alloy steels, the cost of the grade extra is outweighed by
increased batteries. the savings in weight.
By reducing equipment weight by 10%, it’s possible to
improve fuel efficiency by 6 to 8%, and also lower emis- To learn more about Steel Warehouse, please visit https://
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TECHNICAL
INNOVATIONS
ELECTRIFICATION SAE INTERNATIONAL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ACT Expo 2025: Battery experts fret tariffs, encourage
specific designs Robert Ireland
President
Jenny Bush
2026 President
Carla Bailo
2024 President
Christopher Payne
Vice President – Aerospace
Alba Colon
Vice President – Automotive
Audley Brown
Vice President –
Commercial Vehicle
David Andrea
Panelists for the “Cells to Solutions” session, from left: Selman Tosunoğlu, founder, CEO and CTO of Ampherr AG; Treasurer
Paul Beach, president of Octillion Power Systems; Kevin Dahlberg, VP of cell technology for Freudenberg e-Power Dr. Jacqueline El-Sayed
Systems; and Trevor Grant, cell development manager for Infinity battery maker Electrovaya. Chief Executive Officer
Gregory L. Bradley, Esq.
There’s a chaotic elephant in almost every packs in China. So even at the 200% tariff, it’s Secretary
room of the 2025 Advanced Clean just the reality of building things in the U.S. It’s
Transportation (ACT) Expo: Tariffs and the more expensive.” Judy Curran
Trump administration’s seemingly hostile ap- Selman Tosunoğlu, founder, CEO and CTO of Mary Lee Gambone
proach to environmentally friendly technology Ampherr AG, said that the company builds its
like EVs and alternative energy sources. batteries in the United States, Germany and Daniel Nicholson
The Trump administration’s announcement Turkey, so tariffs are a minor hurdle. “We be- Michele Kaiser
on the second day of the ACT Expo that it lieve that we should definitely start with pro-
would be lowering auto tariffs only under- duction in the United States, but that is just
scored the uncertainty. kind of solving partially that problem,” he said.
During a panel session titled “Cells to “Another thing is also diversifying the source of SAE International Sections
Solutions” at California’s Anaheim Convention the cells,” he said, adding that they are working SAE International Sections are local
units comprised of 100 or more SAE
Center, Paul Beach, president of Octillion to be flexible and open to switching suppliers. International Members in a defined
Power Systems, said that despite the stated But even switching suppliers, in the current technical or geographic area. The purpose
of local Sections is to meet the technical,
goal of tariffs to move factory jobs back to climate, is a risk due to the unstable nature of developmental, and personal needs of the
America, the whipsaw instability of policy is tariffs and regulations, other panelists agreed. SAE Members in a given area. For more
information, please visit sae.org/sections
making most executives freeze rather than Trevor Grant, cell development manager for or contact SAE Member Relations Specialist
Abby Hartman at abby.hartman@sae.org.
make the leap to build factories in America. Infinity battery maker Electrovaya, said it would
Beach said that because 70% of Octillion’s be exceedingly difficult to produce cells in the
revenue is in China and 30% is in India, the United States unless they come with some sort SAE International
Collegiate Chapters
company isn’t being affected much by the tar- of competitive advantage. “The customer needs Collegiate Chapters are a way for SAE
iff uncertainty. “I don’t think any one of our a reason to be buying the cell. If you’re trying to International Student Members to get
together on their campus and develop
customers is willing to go fight the administra- produce the same cell domestically, there’s no skills in a student-run and -elected
tion right now in a lawsuit. So we have to face reason because it’s the same cell, just 50 per- environment. Student Members are vital
to the continued success and future of
that problem,” he said. cent more expensive,” he said. “So our focus SAE. While your course work teaches
you the engineering knowledge you
“There are cells produced in the U.S. So we really is on the cell technology side. The cus- need, participation in your SAE Collegiate
can source cells here. We have cell vendors tomer’s reason to buy is either for tariff reasons, Chapter can develop or enhance other
important skills, including leadership,
we’re working with. I can get cells from Taiwan. greenhouse reasons or technology reasons.”
SAE/CHRIS CLONTS

time management, project management,

I can get cells from Korea. I can send them to communications, organization, planning,
delegation, budgeting, and finance. For
the U.S., and I can package them. But,” Beach Embracing task-specific designs more information, please visit students.
said, “the reality is it’s going to be two or three As for what battery solutions would look like in sae.org/chapters/collegiate/ or contact
SAE Member Relations Specialist Abby
times what the cost is when you build the the future, Electrovaya’s Grant suggested that Hartman at abby.hartman@sae.org.

8 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

Cycle life demands for heavy-duty electric vehicles are greater than for passenger EVs. Electrovaya
claims its EV52 cell powered by NMC-based Li-ion ceramic technology offers more than 9,000
cycles at 100% SOC and 1C/1C rate.

Paul Beach, president of Octillion Power

Systems, was emphatic about battery makers
tailoring cells and chemistries to specific
applications.

the industry needs to be more willing to

explore even more exclusive designs
and chemistries to match applications,
especially in the off-highway and indus- Battery management and telematics systems need to be robust and adequately transmit data for
trial spaces. He described the life of a AI to be effective in predictive failure analysis and diagnostics down to the cell level, Freudenberg
e-Power Systems’ Kevin Dahlberg stressed.
typical passenger EV battery as easy,
typically using less than 15 percent of
its capacity before being recharged. potential customers often approach him The role of AI

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SAE/CHRIS CLONTS; ELECTROVAYA; FREUDENBERG E-POWER SYSTEMS
That translates to a battery built to last and cite Tesla as the model they want The panel enthusiastically endorsed AI
1,000 cycles, or roughly 20 years — the to follow for electrification. “Whether for use in predictive failure analysis and
life of the vehicle in most cases. it’s a truck guy, car guy, Caterpillar, diagnostics down to the cell level, such
“If you think about warehousing and they all use Tesla as the example. Tesla as that pioneered by Voltaiq. But Kevin
the forklift. This is in the distribution packs: You can fast-charge them, you Dahlberg, VP of cell technology for
center, the warehouse of a Fortune 100 can use 95% of the capacity, it’s going Freudenberg e-Power Systems, cau-
company. These are basically 24/7 op- to have an eight-year warranty and it’s tioned that setting up that kind of sys-
erations. That battery is being used $125 per kilowatt hour. Give me that,” tem required deliberate steps.
continuously, 365 days a year. he said. “And I’m like, let’s start from a “AI isn’t just something to turn on
Sometimes doing up to 1.5 or two cy- different conversation. What is it you and then you’re using it. Before you get
cles per day, and at that rate, we’re at build? Do you build a Tesla car? Are you to data science there needs to be a very
1,000 cycles in under three years, building a passenger car? No, you build robust data engineering initiative,”
right? This is a huge difference in us- a truck. How’s that truck used? That Dahlberg said. “You need to be able to
age,” Grant said. “Can we expect the truck is used every day and driven to structure validation from the field, from
same battery, the same cell technology 100% of its capacity.” the lab, from manufacturing, all into
in the space to be used in both of Beach continued, saying that custom- one place. Is your BMS [battery man-
those applications? And can we expect ers want to fast-charge their trucks. “But agement system] and your telemetry
a battery that’s designed for passenger people don’t fast-charge Teslas every capable of getting the data to the data-
EVs to perform well in these demand- day. If they do, they will destroy that bat- base? And having good data structure
ing applications? My answer to that tery.” He called what the potential cus- itself is critical.”
question is no, and it’s very important, tomers really want is “unobtainium.” He Arun Chickmenahalli, director of
I think, to be matching our cell tech- said customers should keep an open maintenance R&D at Ryder System,
nology to the application.” mind and target the minimum viable moderated the discussion.
Octillion’s Beach agreed and said product for each application. Chris Clonts

10 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

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TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

THERMAL MANAGEMENT

How HVAC systems can adapt to the needs of electric off-highway vehicles
This allows existing waste heat from the
powertrain to be used or, if necessary,
additional heat to be supplied via the
fuel-powered Hydronic water heater.
If higher energy efficiency require-
ments are a key priority, the Falkon
Heat Pump Dualtronic is an option. The
heat pump efficiently transfers heat in
or out, significantly reducing power
consumption and extending battery life.

Integrated thermal
management
Especially in off-highway applications
such as construction, agricultural or
forestry machinery, temperature re-
quirements vary. While the electric mo-
tor must be cooled and the power elec-
tronics reliably protected from over-
The integrated thermal management system provides cooling and heating for all components heating, the battery is particularly sen-
required in the EV — including the battery, cabin and, if necessary, the electronics.
sitive to temperature. The battery loses
charging power in cold conditions and
The sustainability trend continues to 2025 tradeshow in Munich, is based on can be damaged in hot conditions. At
grow in the off-highway sector. the same shape, size and mounting the same time, the driver’s cab requires
Wherever possible, manufacturers rely structure as the systems used in ICE comfortable temperatures in extreme
on electric vehicles to contribute to cli- vehicles. This consistency simplifies the ambient conditions. While the different
mate protection goals. Therefore, heat- integration of new drive technologies vehicle zones have completely different
ing and cooling solutions need to fit without requiring any adjustments to temperature range requirements, they
these given circumstances. the vehicle structure or installation log- are also competing for the limited en-
Eliminating the traditional waste heat ic. This allows manufacturers to focus ergy from the battery system.
from the combustion engine requires on innovation without having to worry Eberspaecher has developed the bat-
new strategies for temperature regula- about compatibility. tery thermal management system
tion, for the cabin as well as for the bat- The Falkon EHVAC system, for ex- (BTMS) Temptronic for controlled tem-
tery. The aim is to efficiently control all ample, combines an evaporator with an perature management of the battery in
thermally relevant areas in the vehicle. integrated PTC heating element, achiev- electrified off-highway vehicles. It ensures
ing a cooling capacity of up to 7.7 kW
Same design, different climate and a heating capacity of up to 6 kW.
control solutions This allows the entire cabin to be air
Many manufacturers use the same ve- conditioned, not just a specific area. It
hicle architecture for both combustion also supports preconditioning during
and electric variants. This strategy sim- charging. As a result, the battery has to
plifies the transition to new powertrains provide less energy for air conditioning
but places special requirements on the while driving, which noticeably im-
design. Different, powerful HVAC sys- proves the range.
tems are required that can still be Off-highway vehicles are also used in
BOTH IMAGES: EBERSPAECHER

seamlessly integrated into the same harsh and frigid conditions, where ex-
vehicle platform. tended heating can quickly deplete bat-
These demands require a holistic ap- tery life. To meet this challenge,
proach to cabin thermal management. Eberspaecher offers the Falkon
Eberspaecher’s HVAC product portfolio EHHVAC system. This variant expands Energy transfer between components of the
for electrified off-highway vehicles, the electric heating functionality with integrated TMS improves energy savings and
which was on display at the Bauma an integrated water heat exchanger. overall efficiency.

12 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

CONNECTIVITY

Clarios brings AI to idle management for

heavy trucks
The predominant low-voltage battery Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in
maker Clarios announced that IdleLess, Anaheim, California.
a sensor-and-AI-driven system for Junior Barrett, CCS’ global business
heavy-duty trucks that it says can save development director, said that the sys-
up to $3,300 per year per truck and tem starts with sensors, attached to the
reduce CO2 emissions by up to 8.6 met- terminals of each 12V battery, that moni-
ric tons per year, is commercially avail- tor state-of-charge and state-of-health
able in the United States and Canada. info. An onboard gateway then relays the
The Falkon Dualtronic has a heating capacity Long-haul Class 8 trucks spend an data to the cloud, where artificial intel-
of up to 6 kW and cools with 7 kW. The heat
enormous amount of time idling. Much ligence and machine learning determine
pump is said to reduce power consumption and
extend battery life. of this time occurs when a driver is on whether the idling engine can be shut off
rest at a truck stop or during loading/ or a shut-off engine should be restarted.
unloading at warehouses. Operators Currently, information is shared to the
that the traction battery is operated keep the truck running to power the air- cloud once every minute. The data is pro-
within the optimum temperature range conditioning and other systems without tected with end-to-end encryption.
of 20 to 40°C (68 to 104°F), regardless draining the four or more 12V batteries If a change would be helpful, the driv-
of external climatic conditions. To too much, which would prevent them er receives a notification suggesting ac-
achieve this, the BTMS combines ad- from being able to start their diesel en- tion. The system can also alert fleet
vanced cooling, insulation and control gines. IdleLess addresses that and is not managers for driver accountability to the
sensors that continuously monitor ther- the type of automatic start-stop system system. Christina Yarnold, director of
mal states and dynamically adjust sys- that has drawn the ire of truck operators product management, said the develop-
tem behavior. Integration into vehicle and passenger-vehicle drivers, who rou- ment roadmap calls for the system to be
architectures is facilitated through ad- tinely disable such systems. able to intervene automatically without
vanced CAN communication interfaces, Cagatay Topcu, vice president of alerting a sleeping driver. Barrett said
which enable control within the vehi- Clarios Connected Services (CCS), said that a key to that functionality would be
cle’s broader system network. the system would be revolutionary for exploring ways to restart an engine with-
In addition to the standard BTMS, fleet operations. “With real-time battery out disturbing that driver.
Eberspaecher engineers also developed monitoring, advanced algorithms and Barrett said the average driver is far
an integrated thermal management instant communication, drivers can confi- too conservative, idling the truck for far
system. The system acts as a central dently embrace idling reduction,” he said. longer than is necessary to maintain
thermal management group, providing “This dynamic approach ensures that batteries’ charge.
cooling and heating for all components batteries are used to their fullest poten- Clarios is introducing the model as a
required in the EV, including the bat- tial, drastically reducing unnecessary subscription service with an initial $500
tery, cabin and, if necessary, the elec- idling and boosting overall efficiency.” activation fee (that includes installation)
tronics. It uses energy transfer between Executives from CCS, a growing divi- and a monthly per-truck cost of $43.
components to improve energy savings sion in the company, briefed SAE The system does take ambient tem-
and overall efficiency. Media on the eve of the Advanced perature into account and will not, for
The cabin air conditioning is also in-
tegrated into the thermal management
system. For extremely cold conditions,
FROM TOP: EBERSPAECHER; SAE/CHRIS CLONTS

the system can be supplemented with a

high-voltage electric water heater such
as the Titronic with PTC technology.
With their inherent self-regulating ef-
fect, these high-power PTC constituents
protect against overheating, enabling
quick and safe heating.
Adrien Touzet is sales team manager for off-
road and non-automotive, Eberspaecher
Kalori SAS, in Pusignan, France. He wrote The hardware of the IdleLess system: The sensor, left, which receives voltage and current
this article for SAE Media. information, and the gateway that communicates to the Clarios cloud.

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 13

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

There are three operations to the

system: Data collection, analysis
and recommendations.

A technician installs the IdleLess system’s small

sensor on a terminal of a 12V battery.

60-percent reduction in idling time. So

reduced maintenance costs resulting
from reduced wear on engine compo-
The value to owners stated by Clarios does not include reduced wear and tear on engine nents would be above that $3,300 sav-
components and extended battery life.
ings estimate.
The system hardware is built to last at
instance, suggest turning off an idling passenger cars to detect a battery that least five years in all conditions. The cur-
engine when it’s so cold that some die- needs to be replaced before drivers ex- rent IdleLess system did not face U.S.
sels might not be able to restart, a perience slow- or no-start incidents. The Department of Transportation regula-
problem faced by operators in extreme system could even recommend specifics tions or approvals because it does not
northern climates. It is primarily meant on cold-cranking amps to replace a bat- interact with any vehicle systems. That
for absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries, tery based on usage patterns and envi- would change when the system includes
since they can be discharged to 20% ronmental conditions for an owner’s car. automatic intervention, Topcu said.
safely. Starting, lighting and ignition It’s not just reductions in fuel costs While Clarios’ institutional knowledge
(SLI) batteries can only be discharged and CO2 emissions that could interest is primarily around low-voltage batter-
ALL IMAGES: CLARIOS

to around 50%. “That is the fuel savings, operators. Yarnold said the $3,300 ies, Barrett said the company was
in the depth of that [discharge], and saved annually only considers the fuel working to eventually supply battery
that’s the big difference,” Barrett said. costs, calculated with an assumption of intelligence systems for the high-volt-
The sensor and AI technology behind 1,800 hours of idling per year per truck, age EV battery market.
IdleLess could be used in the future for at $3.90 per gallon of fuel, and a Chris Clonts

14 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

LUBRICANTS

Maintaining protection for next-gen HD engine lubricants

The American Petroleum Institute’s • Extended service life for aftertreat- What’s in the box?
(API) Proposed Category 12 (PC-12) is ment devices, growing from about As part of PC-12’s development, significant
currently under development. A target 435,000 miles (700,000 km) to changes are coming to the category’s
first license date has been set for 800,000 miles (1.29 million km). “chemical box,” or the acceptable limits
January 2027, and industry stakehold- Indeed, aftertreatment devices are an and proportions of chemistry that go into
ers are currently at work on PC-12’s increasingly important part of how a final PC-12-compliant formulation.
testing requirements, limits and other heavy-duty diesel vehicles will continue One chemical in particular has been
criteria that will make up the final per- to meet lower and lower emissions targeted: phosphorus, which has his-
formance category. That means change standards. For that reason, tomorrow’s torically been deployed for its anti-wear
is coming to the heavy-duty diesel lu- engine oils must be formulated with the properties. Specifically, zinc dialkyldi-
bricants space. needs of such devices in mind. thiophosphate (ZDDP) has been a
The introduction of a new category One challenge for the new category is widely used anti-wear additive for fin-
provides opportunities for enhanced accommodating the diverse range and ished lubricant formulations. ZDDPs
lubricant performance in areas such as needs of all heavy-duty equipment, includ- also inhibit oxidation and deposit for-
improved drain intervals, fuel economy ing off-highway machinery, which differs mation within the lubricant formulation.
and engine deposit protection. However, from on-road vehicles in terms of duty Phosphorus levels in PC-12 fluids will be
one major area of focus for next-gener- cycles and wear protection requirements. limited to 800 parts per million (ppm),
ation lubricants will be greater protec- As a result, formulators are focused on a 30% reduction from the 1,200 ppm
tion and enablement of aftertreatment delivering equal or superior performance figure allowable in current bottles of oil.
devices, helping heavy-duty OEMs com- across all applications while controlling Highly efficient exhaust gas after-
ply with stringent new emissions stan- costs and avoiding over-formulation. treatment equipment allows trucks to
dards set by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency in 2022.
Those standards are scheduled to go
into effect for model year 2027 diesel
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engines — hence the new category’s
timeline — and they represent a true
step change, including:
• A 75% reduction in nitrous oxide
(NOx) emissions
• A 50% reduction in particulate mat-
ter (PM)

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'ÅÐīĮĨ¼ÆìÐīĨīÐĮÐĊĴĮ­ĊÐŘĴÐĊĮðŒÐī­ĊæÐ
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ĮĨÐÆð­ăÌÐĮðæĊĮȘăăďœķĮĴď­ĮĮðĮĴřďķðĊ
A combination of several anti-wear alternatives
ÌðĮÆďŒÐīðĊæĴìÐðÌЭăĮďăķĴðďĊåďīřďķī
and film-forming polymers will be required in ĮĨÐÆðåðÆ­ĨĨăðÆ­ĴðďĊȘ
LUBRIZOL

low-phosphorus formulations, rather than a

simple one-to-one replacement. ɳTZt'}''twq'>'tȭZ99ȭ>A:>”šȘZTȥȥ'U

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 15

 TECHNICAL
INNOVATIONS

The Future of
Manufacturing
is Here
Early collaboration, testing and on-road use
   űŊŪŪ, 2025 | CHICAGO, IL are critical for developing reliable new fluids,
according to Lubrizol’s Zach Rodgers.
FABTECHEXPO.COM
meet EPA and CARB emission criteria.
FABTECH 2025, North America’s largest metal forming, Importantly, the selective catalytic re-
duction (SCR) system reduces NOx lev-
fabricating, welding, and finishing event, offers innovative els in exhaust gases through the action
solutions, networking with industry leaders, and insights to of a metal catalyst in conjunction with
diesel exhaust fluid to produce benign
revolutionize your manufacturing operations. byproducts. However, during engine
operation, phosphorus in the lubricant
can enter the exhaust and react with
Event Partners the SCR’s catalyst, reducing its activity.
This leads to a drop in the effectiveness
of the system to reduce emissions and
shortens the lifespan of aftertreatment
devices. As a result, PC-12 with a re-
duced phosphorus content was intro-
duced to protect the equipment.
REGISTER NOW While current phosphorus levels have
been acceptable over the course of a
400,000-mile (645,000-km) service life,
new EPA requirements double that fig-
ure. Low-phosphorus formulations are
therefore required to prolong the func-
tionality of the aftertreatment device.
Low-phosphorus formulations are avail-
able today and have been formulated
with both on- and off-highway needs in
mind. However, they are not part of the
current performance category, and this
marks a noteworthy change from today’s
widely available engine oil formulations.

Delivering adequate wear

protection
Low-phosphorus engine oil formula-
tions for heavy-duty diesel use are not
LUBRIZOL

entirely new. Comparable lubricants

have already been used throughout

16 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

Europe and in some applications in the

North American market.
However, concern has been raised
during the development of PC-12 regard-
ing off-highway applications — construc-
tion equipment, mining trucks, agricul-
tural machinery and more — which com-
monly use the same API-certified lubri-
cants as on-highway trucks. Within these
applications, duty cycles differ substan-
tially and can be more severe than on-
road trucks. Additionally, wear protec-
tion is critical to provide off-highway
engine longevity, reduce engine rebuild
costs and limit equipment downtime.
Mining equipment provides an instruc-
tive example, which operates at or near
full load for extended periods, often un- The need for excellent wear protection throughout all heavy-duty applications has led formulators
der extreme conditions. This equipment to proactively investigate alternative formulations with new chemistries that can stand up to the
demands of off-highway equipment.
also generates higher torque output at
lower speeds, which can place excessive
stress on engine components. Operational considerations across three key areas: oxidation- and deposit-resisting perfor-
severity in new-model equipment will • Anti-wear protection mance. Additionally, many products that
likely continue to increase as OEMs look • Oxidation performance exist in the market today with reduced
for further efficiency gains. • Deposit formation. phosphorus levels have shown excellent
Various alternative anti-wear chemis- performance over many millions of
How low-phosphorus tries and film-forming polymers have miles, paving the way for this new gen-
formulations can deliver demonstrated that efficacy across each eration of engine oils.
protection performance area will require more than
The need for excellent wear protection a simple one-to-one replacement. Greater value, collective success
throughout all heavy-duty applications Instead, it will require a combination of There is significant work to do as the lu-
has led formulators throughout the in- several additive chemistries — but OEMs bricants industry prepares for PC-12’s first
dustry to be proactive in investigating and end users can rest assured that ef- license. OEMs, oil marketers and additives
alternative formulations with new fective formulations will be available de- suppliers continue to work in close con-
chemistries that can stand up to the spite the new chemical box restrictions. cert to ensure that end users can depend
demands of off-highway equipment. To demonstrate the efficacy of these on reliable, effective solutions that can
Balancing this need with enabling on- next-generation lubricants, additive sup- enable heavy-duty equipment of all types
road trucks and aftertreatment devices pliers, including Lubrizol, are utilizing to perform as intended. End users will
is critical. PC-12 will demand it. field trials to demonstrate the robust- likely find it worthwhile to consult with
Replacing ZDDPs requires performance ness of their formulations’ anti-wear, their lubricants suppliers early and often
about PC-12-compliant fluids. Early col-
laboration, testing and on-road use are
PC-12 with a reduced phosphorus critical for developing reliable new fluids.
content was introduced to protect
The resulting technologies will deliver
highly efficient exhaust gas
greater efficiency for operators, including
FROM TOP: SHUTTERSTOCK; VOLVO TRUCKS

aftertreatment equipment.
Volvo Trucks’ linear greater fuel efficiency, long-lasting after-
exhaust aftertreatment treatment device efficacy and reliable
system (EATS) protection that heavy-duty fluids have
is shown. delivered throughout their history. And it
means significant benefits for everyone.
Zachary L. Rodgers is the engine oil
development manager at Lubrizol
Additives, where he leads formulation
strategies for heavy-duty engine oils. He
wrote this article for SAE Media.

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 17

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

PROPULSION

After successful trials, Cellcentric moves to build NextGen fuel cell for anyone
After successful trials in Europe, the Cellcentric
Daimler/Volvo joint venture that devel- CTO Nicholas
ops hydrogen fuel cells for heavy-duty Loughlan
long-haul trucks says it is preparing to gives a tour
produce a cost-reducing, next-genera- of its current
tion cell stack for any truck manufac- hydrogen fuel
cell system,
turer that wants to buy it.
the BZA150, on
The key to Cellcentric’s plan: A belief the floor of the
that once at scale, its new fuel cell Advanced Clean
stacks will be close to parity and far Transportation
better than battery electric solutions on Expo in
a total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) basis, Anaheim,
especially for long-haul purposes. California.
Nicholas Loughlan, the company’s
CTO, said that development of the first-
generation system began in earnest in
2018, when the EU first passed a regu-
latory plan calling for drastically re- Fuel cells come into play because their mountain passes where conditions can
duced CO2 emissions. He said it became efficiency is unmatched.” challenge a diesel’s ability to restart
clear that “especially the more energy- On the eve of the 2025 ACT Expo in when off.
intensive applications would require Anaheim, California, Loughlan and Loughlan said the next-generation
something [other than diesel], which Cellcentric head of sales and marketing Cellcentric stack offers high power, low
would be, at the end of the day, hydro- Joachim Ladra briefed SAE Media on weight, long range, high flexibility and
gen based. Trucking is a TCO game. the company’s next-generation fuel zero emissions. It will be ready soon for
cell stack and why use in North America, Europe and glob-
they’re confident they ally. At the ACT Expo, Loughlan talked
can scale the zero-emis- about the NextGen in front of a full-size
sion technology. model that showed off the dimensions
The unit the company and some design features.
has on the road in Europe Among the features:
today, the BZA150, is • Up to 375 kW (500+ hp) from a single
used in pairs in the same unit designed to fit into a standard
space as a diesel engine. 13-liter diesel engine compartment
Together the units gener- • A total weight of about 400 kg (881 lb)
ate 390 hp (285 kW) and • Designed to run at higher temperatures,
weigh about 1,100 lb (499 reducing onboard cooling requirements
kg). That’s about half the • 40% reduction of waste heat at 300 kW
weight of most compa- • 40% more power density
rable integrated diesel • 40% reduction in mechanical
powertrains. complexity.
Loughlan said that in Loughlan said the increased efficien-
2023, a Mercedes-Benz cy (a 40-ton HD truck will need about
GenH2 truck powered by 9.7 kg of hydrogen to travel 100 miles)
dual BZA150 cell stacks is due primarily to three factors: an in-
BOTH IMAGES: SAE/CHRIS CLONTS

set a record range of 650 crease in the active cell area, improved
miles (1,047 km) on pub- membrane electrode assembly (MEA)
lic roads with one fill-up efficiency by using different catalysts
of 80 kg of liquid H2. The and improved cathode pressure to take
system has also been better advantage of the battery.
tested above the Arctic He also said that the BZA150 and
The full view of the BZA150. In trial deployments, two units have Circle and in Europe’s the NextGen stacks can provide max
been placed in Daimler and Volvo HD trucks. toughest high-altitude power essentially indefinitely, unlike

18 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

some fuel cell systems. “The question place for BEV trucks, but that hydrogen The BZA150, which Cellcentric will
is, can your fuel cell system provide has an advantage by not having to ac- continue to produce for partners and
150 kilowatts forever, or after two min- count for two tons of battery packs. testing programs, is assembled at its
utes does it have to go down to 90 kW The functional result is that hydro- Esslingen, Germany, plant. Loughlan
in order to protect itself? That’s similar gen trucks are allowed an extra two said the company makes all of the fuel
to a diesel engine at altitude when it tons of payload. cell system’s components itself. Why?
can’t get enough air,” he said. “This is
something we take pride in: Our fuel
cell systems don’t need to de-rate to
protect themselves.”
Loughlan essentially cited Murphy’s
law when asked why the company
would move to a single more-powerful
fuel cell powering a truck rather than
two BZA150s. “Redundancy means if
you’ve got a quality problem, you’ve
got it twice, right? Every hose needs to
be there twice, coming from the truck
and having the fuel distributed, the
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cooling distributed,” he said. “It’s just a

lot more complexity, vehicle installation
in the plant, all that kind of stuff. We’re
growing up from two medium duties to
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TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 19

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

“The assembly is pretty much like an

engine assembly. It’s not too dissimilar.
It’s about the in-house parts that we
do completely control. That’s impor-
tant, because if you can control the
most valuable asset, you can design it
to your exact performance require-
ments.” He said that the fuel cell core
is the most valuable asset.
“We [do everything from] mixing the
electrocatalyst ink that coats the cath-
ode, to making the bipolar plates for
the fuel cells.” In addition, he said the
company assembles the turbocharged
hydrogen pumps in-house, and also
manufactures all hoses and pipes. CTO Loughlan showed a pre-ACT 2025 gathering of journalists a slide that gives a glimpse at how
the company arrived at its business case for fuel cells.
Neither Loughlan nor Ladra would
commit to a timeline for producing the
NextGen cell, other than saying that they reasons,” Ladra said, “because the best can scale that it has already bought
hope to be at scale production by the fuel cell system in the world will do no land in Weilheim/Teck for a large plant
end of the decade. They don’t want to good and not serve any customer needs — already named Klima Werk (climate

CELLCENTRIC
rush ahead of demand, either. “The time- if you can’t get the fuel to run the trucks.” factory) to manufacture the 375-kW
line needs to be carefully aligned with But they’ll be ready if the time system and other future iterations.
build-up of infrastructure, for obvious comes. Cellcentric is so confident that it Chris Clonts

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TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
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reaching new heights in aerospace, we want to honor the achievements of remarkable women
engineers and inspire others to follow their lead.

Submit your nominations in six industry categories by July 22 and join us in celebrating the
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 Developing next-gen
diesels to last decades

John Deere’s newest combustion

John Deere Power
engines are designed to accommodate
Systems designs its alternative fuels and evolving
next-generation engines to
accommodate fuels and technologies technologies as requirements demand.
that will allow them to run for decades to come. by Ryan Gehm

A
pproaching the John Deere Power Systems “It’s much more compact, much more fuel efficient, much more
(JDPS) exhibit at the Bauma 2025 trade- volume efficient in all of our partner vehicles and in all the applica-
show in Munich, Germany, a lineup of next- tions we sell in the OEM market as well,” he said. “We’ve had a pretty
generation internal combustion engines consistent architectural approach that’s scalable. So, you can see
served as sentinels of sorts, greeting any visitors be- we’ve spent some significant money in the diesel engine area. We do
fore they could view the other technologies on display, see a need for these for at least the next decade or two.”
including new, more compact Kreisel Electric high-
voltage batteries.
This prominent location underscores the promi-
Future-proof engine design
nence that diesel and alternative-fueled combustion The JD4 engine program “began in earnest” in late 2022, Lefebvre
engines will maintain in the off-highway vehicle sector said. As of the Bauma tradeshow in April, Deere was in the process of
for years to come. building durability engines and putting them in dozens of test vehicles.
“Our perspective around diesel engine development, “We do extensive durability testing in our own vehicles and with
especially in very high-power-need vehicles, it’s going some customers before they go out the factory to the general pub-
to be around for quite some time,” Michael Lefebvre, lic,” he said. “We try very hard to find what we call the ‘corner condi-
manager of global marketing and product strategy at tions,’ the lowest temperatures, the highest vibrations, and make sure
JDPS, told SAE Media in Munich. “We’re investing that we’re teasing out the things that need to be dealt with.”
heavily in engines on this entire power range.” The JD4 is an overhead cam engine with a much higher-pressure
That lineup on display at Bauma included already- fuel system, replacing a cam-in-block engine that’s been in service
available clean-sheet engines, the JD14 and JD18, which for 20-30 years. To ensure a next-generation engine stays relevant
extended Deere’s power range beyond what it previ- for the coming decades, the development team must consider a de-
ously offered, and an “evolution” engine in the JD9, sign that can accommodate technologies that may be needed to
which features new aftertreatment packaging develop- meet future emissions and fuel efficiency requirements. “A lot of
ments and calibration efficiency improvements. packaging elements we need to plan ahead for, even if they’re not
SAE/RYAN GEHM

The manufacturer’s newest engine, the JD4, was built into the engine currently,” Lefebvre said.
also present. Also a clean-sheet design, the engine is All the next-generation engines that JDPS develops are intended
expected to be available in about a year and a half, to run, with modifications, on spark-ignited fuels, he added. “When
Lefebvre said at Bauma in April. we talk about renewable fuels, we’ll talk about gaseous fuels, we’ll

22 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 POWERTRAIN FEATURE

Michael Lefebvre, manager of global marketing and product

strategy at JDPS, posing with the clean-sheet JD4 at Bauma 2025.

“We no longer develop an

engine without a vision
for how it can be extended
Engineers gave the next-gen JD4 engine about triple the aux-drive power
into spark-ignited fuels.”
availability than was available on the previous engine, aiding hybridization efforts.
both mild hybridization electrification as well as high-
voltage battery hybrid vehicles.”
talk about compression ignition. We talk about hybrid. And it’s region Another technical detail that results in reduced ser-
by region.” vice needs for the new JD4 are hydraulic lash adjust-
Hydrogen combustion is a focus area, particularly in Europe. “Of ers. “We’ve not had that on a small engine like this in
course, my team’s closely watching the market dynamics and when it the past,” Lefebvre said. “The large engines now have
will make sense from an infrastructure perspective,” Lefebvre said. them as well, but we used to have to adjust the lash in
“It’s out there still, but it’s absolutely something we’re monitoring.” the valvetrain system. It’s all hydraulic now, so no ad-
John Deere develops its own power electronics, which helps when justments required. It’s similar to automotive, but hard
engineering hybrid solutions. Developers of the next-generation en- to make it last as long as our engines run. This engine
gines made accommodation for a range of hybrid applications. “It’s now has that system.”
mostly on where do we send the power? In the old days, we would
just send the power out the flywheel. Now we’ve got a lot of ways
BOTH IMAGES: SAE/RYAN GEHM

power can come to and from the engine,” Lefebvre said.

Software and big data
“In the JD4, we’re replacing an engine that has one aux drive pad Telematics and connected support are a big part of
with an engine that has three, with a lot more power output,” he con- the Deere value proposition, according to Lefebvre.
tinued. “So even if you’re not doing a full-on high-voltage hybrid, you Over-the-air engine software updates are one of those
can see mild hybrids with lower voltage where you’ll take the power offerings that help to reduce downtime for customers.
off the accessory drive to power a cabin cooler or something like But an area that is growing the most, he said, is pro-
that. The intent is to make sure that the engines can accommodate viding what Deere calls “expert alerts.”

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 23

Developing next-gen POWERTRAIN FEATURE

diesels to last decades

John Deere’s relationship with Kreisel Electric is key to offering hybrid- and
battery-electric power solutions for a range of applications. The soon-to-be-
available KBE.59.750M battery (shown) offers 59 kWh, 88 Ah and an operating
voltage of 558-740 V.

Lefebvre said. “But it’s a big part of our R&D expenses. We put a lot
Power solutions options for North America are the most varied of time and effort into software development and into ECU manufac-
of any region. Significant development of ethanol is happening turing. We manufacture our own controllers in addition to the soft-
particularly in Brazil. Europe is focused on biofuels and renewable ware development.”
fuels, and JDPS has ongoing development of hybrid combustion
engines in Europe as well.
No shortage of work
“We’re pretty unique in developing at the base level The JDPS exhibit also spotlighted the Kreisel KBE.59.750M battery, a
our own engine software,” Lefebvre said. “It’s a lot of new and more compact version of what the company showed at the
time and effort to do that rather than buying it from last Bauma in 2022, its KBP63 battery.
an off-the-shelf vendor, but it also gives you sort of “The lifecycles of battery development go much faster than en-
these base sensor inputs. And with those, with big gines,” Lefebvre said. “Deere [and Wirtgen] have quite a few battery-
data now, we’re able to see if there are parts that need electric projects that are being introduced. This is the basis of a lot of
to be, let’s say, prognostically changed, especially with those vehicles.”
customers that have very high hour-usage. The battery portfolio also supports Deere’s hybrid-electric devel-
“When we start to see wear out of parts, we’re able opments under way in construction and the agriculture industry.
to develop expert alerts that say, ‘Hey, you’ve got “And we have ongoing conversations with quite a few OEMs,” he said.
7,000 hours on this part; in the next 1,500 hours we Are hybrid-electric machines becoming more popular? “What FROM LEFT: JOHN DEERE POWER SYSTEMS; SAE/RYAN GEHM
need to schedule the change,’” he continued. “Our we’re finding now is just sort of slicing the market application by ap-
customers really appreciate that, because they don’t plication — there’s thousands of them. Some of them have very cycli-
want that to happen when they don’t plan it; they cal duty cycles. In those cases, hybrids are great, where there’s this
don’t want any part failure. We continue to add more natural regeneration for a battery,” Lefebvre said. “It can make even a
and more expert alerts based on things we learn in big large dump truck, for example, use a smaller engine, and you can be
data in the field from this telematics.” much more efficient and constantly be regenerating battery power.
With an emphasis on software development, the The more cyclical an application is, the better it is for hybrid.”
workforce at Deere has shifted over the past couple of For compact equipment, Deere is focused on utilizing battery-elec-
decades to bolster its expertise. “If we’d had this con- tric systems. “And for standard production class, hard work, full-on
versation 20 years ago, I would’ve said, ‘yeah, it’s really duty cycle, it’s big engines – it’s going to be there for a long time, like
growing.’ If we’d had this conversation 10 years ago, I for a combine or something where you’re really high on the duty cy-
would say, ‘wow, it has really grown.’ Now, I would say cle and load factor and it never lets up,” Lefebvre said.
we’re at a critical mass with software development “There’s no shortage of work going on,” he added. “It’s like, ‘hey,
around the company and within power systems,” which one are you going to pick?’ We gotta do ’em all.”

24 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 Executive Leadership Provided By:

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NEW VOLVO D13 VGT
utilizes 24V
architecture

Volvo Trucks
North America
launches the
all-new VNR with
standard D13
VGT engine and
announces an
upcoming CARB-
24 Omnibus
compliant engine
variant.
by Ryan Gehm
The new Volvo D13 VGT (variable geometry turbo) engine builds
on improvements launched with the D13 Turbo Compound engine,
including a seven-wave piston that allows for greater heat dispersion
across the top of the piston head, lowering temps and reducing NOx output.

W
hen Volvo Trucks revealed its all-new VNR regional control valves in the fuel injectors for precise control
haul truck in March 2025, it also marked the launch of over the fuel flow rate. This enhancement leads to im-
something new under the hood: the Volvo D13 VGT proved fuel atomization, better combustion efficiency
(variable geometry turbo) engine. The new D13 VGT and enhanced engine performance, according to
engine will be standard in the VNR and optional for the VNL day cab. Volvo. A variable displacement oil pump is another
The D13 VGT engine builds on improvements launched with the critical element, Koeck said. It adapts to the engine’s
D13 Turbo Compound engine, which is standard on the new VNL oil pressure demands, reportedly minimizing parasitic
(www.sae.org/news/2024/02/volvo-vnl-launch) that commenced losses and reducing wear and tear.
commercial production at the New River Valley assembly plant in “As we continue to innovate and improve our pow-
Dublin, Virginia, in October 2024. ertrain offerings, the launch of the Volvo D13 VGT en-
The new VNR is up to 7.5% more fuel efficient than the legacy truck, gine marks another significant step forward in our com-
with 3% of that attributable to the powertrain, according to Magnus mitment to fuel efficiency and sustainability,” said Peter
Koeck, VP of strategy, marketing and brand management at Volvo Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America.
Trucks. The seventh generation of Volvo’s I-Shift automated-manual “Fuel costs remain the second highest expense for
transmission provides 30% faster shifting speeds for better accelera- fleets in North America, and our powertrain improve-
tion and contributes to overall vehicle efficiency, he said. ments represent an up to 3-percent fuel efficiency im-
VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA

A key enhancement for the D13 VGT engine is the seven-wave pis- provement over our previous-generation engine.”
ton that optimizes air and fuel mixture control, resulting in more ef- Available for order in the new VNR and VNL models,
ficient combustion. Shorter piston height and a longer connecting the Volvo D13 VGT engine offers 405, 425, 435 or 455
rod minimize cylinder sidewall pressure and reduce friction. The sev- hp (302, 317, 324 or 339 kW), with torque ratings rang-
en-wave design also allows for a greater dispersion of heat across ing from 1,450 to 1,850 lb-ft (1,966 to 2,508 Nm). The
the top of the piston head, lowering the overall temperature and re- D13 Turbo Compound engine launched last year in the
ducing NOx output. VNL is also available and is “well suited” for fleets us-
Improvements to the fuel injection system include smaller needle ing the VNR in highway applications, Koeck said.

26 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 POWERTRAIN FEATURE

The Volvo D13 VGT

engine will be
standard in the new
VNR (shown) and
optional for the VNL
day cab.

24V architecture an enabler

The all-new VNL was Volvo Trucks North America’s
largest investment ever, Voorhoeve said during the
VNR launch at ATA’s Technology & Maintenance
Council meeting. “Not only did we develop a new
truck; we developed a new platform. A new platform
for all the trucks that would come,” he said. The VNR
is the second truck on this new platform, offering the
same connectivity and safety packages as on the VNL.
The new D13 VGT engine utilizes the 24-volt electri-
cal system that Volvo first introduced in North
America with the new VNL. Already proven on its
trucks in the European market and elsewhere, the 24-
volt electrical architecture is an “enabler” for safety
technology, Volvo Dynamic Steering (VDS) and further
development of autonomy, Koeck said at the VNL me-
dia event in June 2024. “There are certain enablers
FROM TOP: VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA; SAE/RYAN GEHM

such as the new electronic architecture in order for us

to turn on the features, so to say.”
The electrical architecture also paves the way to use The 24-volt electrical system is an “enabler” for safety technology, Volvo Dynamic
Steering (shown on the new VNL) and further development of autonomy.
lighter components and can prolong the life of those
components, according to Steven Walker, director of
uptime support at Volvo Group. “It has 24 volts, which connected in series to get to 24V. “This battery management system
allows us to have less amperage going through the looks at parasitic loss, looks at state of charge, and it can actually
lines, which is less heat. Less heat through those lines start turning things off so it won’t degrade the batteries too bad. It’ll
means you can have smaller lines, which is less weight. also start the engine automatically and recharge those batteries if it
And heat is what kills components, so they will last gets down to a certain level.”
longer,” he said. Cab accessories and trailer connections still require a 12V auxiliary
Referencing the new VNL, Walker added that “we supply voltage.
can’t talk about electrical architecture without a new Additional benefits of the new 24V electrical system are the ability
battery management system. This is a very intelligent to diagnose potential problems more easily and to transmit ECU data
system,” he said, noting that pairs of 12V batteries are via telematics for remote monitoring of fault codes.

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 27

 NEW VOLVO D13 VGT POWERTRAIN FEATURE

utilizes 24V
architecture
“It would be very hard to [switch to] 24 volt or any change of voltage
that’s that big in an existing platform.”
- Chayene De Souza, Volvo Trucks
“Remote diagnostics is looking for potential fault codes in the De Souza said the new platform made the move to
trucks 24/7,” Chayene De Souza, product marketing manager for safe- 24V possible. “It would be very hard to [switch to] 24
ty and connectivity at Volvo Trucks, said last year at the VNL media volt or any change of voltage that’s that big in an exist-
event. “When a fault code is identified, it’s classified as either yellow ing platform. Of course we looked at that, at the very
or red. Red means the truck has to come out of service immediately. beginning when they came to us in 2017,” she said. “We
Immediate attention is needed. If the fault code is yellow, that means looked at the amount of work and the amount of bridge
the truck does not have to come out of service. Think about the pow- solutions we would need to do for something like that
er of that information.” versus starting from scratch and building a truck that
can be the platform for so many new technologies.”

CARB-24 Omnibus compliance

Volvo Trucks North America announced at the 2025
ACT Expo that it’s applying for certification of a CARB-
24 Omnibus compliant engine that will be built on the
new D13 VGT engine platform. Expected to meet the
California Air Resources Board’s 2024 emissions stan-
dards, the variant is designed to obtain a certification
at the 0.05-g NOx rating with reduced particulate
matter (PM) emissions.
Once certified, customers will be able to order the
CARB-24 Omnibus compliant engine in the new Volvo
VNL and VNR models, with expected available con-
figurations of 425 hp (317 kW) and 1,750 lb-ft (2,373
Nm) or 455 hp (339 kW) and 1,850 lb-ft (2,508 Nm).
Deliveries of new trucks with the compliant engines
are expected to begin in Q4 2025.
Volvo Trucks’ new engine will feature an advanced
A new “intelligent” battery management system shown on the VNL pairs 12V emission control system, including a fully serviceable
batteries connected in series to make 24V. linear exhaust aftertreatment system (EATS) and an
integrated 48-volt heater used during startup and low-
load situations to achieve the ultra-low NOx targets.
Each component, including the diesel oxidation catalyst
(DOC), diesel particulate filter (DPF), aftertreatment
heater and selective catalytic reduction (SCR), is de-
signed for individual servicing or replacement. FROM TOP: SAE/RYAN GEHM; VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA
CARB’s Omnibus regulations aim to reduce NOx
emissions by 75% and PM by 50% compared to current
U.S. EPA standards, from heavy-duty on-road engines
for engine model years 2024 through 2026.
“To help customers successfully navigate evolving
regulations, Volvo has developed an engine that is in-
tended to meet both EPA and CARB requirements,”
said Johan Agebrand, director of product marketing,
Volvo Trucks North America. “We continue to invest in
powertrain and vehicle advancements that support our
Volvo Trucks’ new CARB-24 Omnibus sustainability goals and our commitment to environ-
compliant engine (upon certification) features a mental stewardship.” The company says the new en-
fully serviceable linear exhaust aftertreatment system, gine is part of its path toward zero emissions in heavy-
which includes the DOC, DPF, SCR and an integrated 48-volt heater. duty transportation by 2040.

28 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 54TH-ANNUAL

NOVEMBER 5, 2025 Lastics:

eading the harge

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NEXT REMAN UP:
THE ROLE OF ENGINE REMANUFACTURING

While new sustainability

efforts aim to curb the
carbon footprint of the
commercial vehicle industry,
old methods continue to be
Caterpillar integrates
among the most effective. remanufacturing into the design
by Matt Wolfe processes of its components upfront.

S
ustainability has been among the hottest topics for the com- “The most critical element [of the process] is what we
mercial vehicle industry over the past decade. OEMs, suppli- call the core,” said Patricia Covington, executive direc-
ers and various governmental agencies across the globe are tor, ReCon general management at Cummins. “Once
touting new advances in clean powertrain tech that reduces that repair cycle starts and that product reaches the
the industry’s dependence on fossil fuel while also considering the end of its useful life, we want that product back.”
complete carbon footprint of the vehicle from cradle to grave. Covington further explained the importance of cores
Though these initiatives have their merits, there are old-school in the manufacturing process. “There is a huge reliance
methods of reducing the environmental impact of keeping the world on what we call reverse logistics to get that core back
moving. Remanufacturing is decidedly not the sexiest of methods for from the customer and to make it easy for them to
promoting the concept of sustainability. But recycling existing mate- return it,” she said. “Once it gets back into our posses-
rials and components is a proven tactic for reducing waste and en- sion, we’re able to get it disassembled and cleaned. It
ergy consumption. then enters the official remanufacturing process.”
In April, the Engine Technology Forum hosted a webinar outlining Naturally, not every component is going to need the
the role of engine and component remanufacturing as part of the same style or level of reconditioning in this process.
circular economy. SAE Media attended the virtual event, which fea- “Whatever that salvage technology is for that specific
tured speakers from Caterpillar, Cummins and John Deere. component, we run it during our process,” Covington
said. “Our engineers are always happy to work in the
reman space because for many of them, it’s like a play-
Core mission ground to think about the salvage technologies that
According to a report from MTU, the company’s remanufacturing site are required depending on what the component is.”
in Magdeburg, Germany, saves an estimated 3,600 tons of CO2 per Once an engine and its components have been re-
year on its own. These savings compound when one considers the conditioned, it will then enter the reassembly and testing
CATERPILLAR

resources saved by not having to produce an engine to replace and process, which according to Cummins uses the same
discard one that is being recycled. standards as a brand-new engine build. “[We have] the
Cummins also operates remanufacturing facilities across the globe. same quality standards and same expectations of our

30 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 POWERTRAIN | MANUFACTURING FEATURE

“Whenever our suppliers are

constrained, it gives us an
opportunity to utilize our
remanufacturing technology to offset
whatever the supply issue may be.”
- Patricia Covington, Cummins

reman engines as our news ones,” Covington said.

“Those engines will then be resold to customers where
it restarts its lifecycle.”
Covington also explained the role that remanufac-
turing can play in mitigating supply chain risks. “Not Cummins may offer reman engines for upwards of 10 or 20 years after that engine
has gone out of production.
only is remanufacturing a good business opportunity,
it’s also really important to our customers,” she said.
“Whenever our suppliers are constrained, it gives us
an opportunity to utilize our remanufacturing technol-
ogy to offset whatever the supply issue may be. It
gives us an opportunity to have shorter lead times.”
Covington detailed the total lifecycle that Cummins
expects for remanufacturing operations on a given
product. “There’s an early stage where an engine may
not be in remanufacturing yet, but we want to get the
cores back to build bank,” she explained. “Then, when
we actually start the remanufacturing process, we have
enough to make sure that we are at least at 50-percent
usage for whatever that component or engine may be.”
“Once the remanufacturing starts, it can be 12 Cummins lays the groundwork for its remanufacturing process while new engines
are still in production.
months. It can be 24 months. It’s dependent upon our
ability to collect the cores from the field,” Covington
added. “The remanufacturing process often starts be- program to both the OEMs and the customers they serve.
fore the end of the new production. New engines and “Our objective is to serve the customer throughout the lifecycle,”
reman engines can be manufactured at the same time.” he said. “We’re offering remanufactured engines for the latest final
“That engine platform may cease to exist, but the Tier 4 emission standards, the latest equipment that’s put out there
repair parts and the whole reman engine will [remain] all the way back to engines that were put on machines in the late
for upwards of 10 or 20 years. It just depends on the ’70s with the intention of keeping customers throughout the lifecycle
product,” she said. “Eventually there will be a declining of the product.”
phase where you just can’t remanufacture that com- Schrag continued, “When we talk about value in terms of the cus-
ponent anymore. That is when we will start to see the tomer or the dealer, the business and the environment, we need to
core return from the field at higher rates than expect- see the value for this business to make sense. For the customer, the
ed, and that is when we start to think about getting value is primarily around offering a lower-priced alternative to keep
that product out of the remanufacturing cycle, thus their equipment running, so generally we’ll price our products up to
ending the lifecycle for that specific product.” 30-percent less than a new equivalent.”
“Of course, we’re able to do that through recycling of material. But
it’s not just a lower cost,” Schrag said. “It’s a lower cost with the con-
Dollars and sense fidence that comes with a like-new product as well as the confidence
In addition to reducing the industry’s environmental im- that comes with a product that’s warranted. In some cases, we offer
pact, the cost savings and price point that remanufac- a better warranty than the new equivalent would get. This process
turing operations offer is a major benefit to both OEMs also benefits the environment by keeping product out of landfills,
and customers. Kevin Schrag, manager, John Deere recyclers, furnaces or out of hedgerows rotting away, which is some-
Reman, discussed the importance of its remanufacturing times the condition you see old equipment in.”

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 31

NEXT REMAN UP: POWERTRAIN | MANUFACTURING FEATURE

THE ROLE OF ENGINE REMANUFACTURING

“The most cost-effective way for

us to remanufacture something
is to be able to just reuse it. So we
want to make design decisions
upfront that help us do that.”
- Jeff Sutherland, Caterpillar

Sutherland said. “In the remanufacturing division, we

try to influence those design decisions as much as we
possibly can through education and awareness. We
partner on our projects, with our starting partner and
other new side design counterparts, to educate them
on the importance of remanufacturing. We have de-
John Deere offers remanufactured engines that meet the latest Tier 4 Final sign guides that are available to them to help them
emission standards all the way back to engines that were put on machines in reference when they’re doing designs and try to at-
the late 1970s.
tend design reviews and be active in those decisions.”
Sutherland discussed how the reman side of the
business can influence original designs. “We integrate
remanufacturing in the design processes upfront.
Oftentimes, our ability to remanufacture something is
limited by the decisions that we made that were not
forward looking,” he said. “Issues like corrosion and
fatigue. How do we account for those? We do so up-
front and make sure that they don’t hinder our ability
to remanufacture in the future.”
Caterpillar employs software that integrates a hier-
archy of design principles to ensure remanufacturabil-
ity. “It looks at the design and steps through a series
of questions that they want the design engineer to
answer, and it starts with questioning can you prevent
the failure modes that we talked about earlier?”
Sutherland said. “The best way to remanufacture
something is not to have to remanufacture it. If we’re
According to MTU, the company’s remanufacturing site in Magdeburg, Germany,
able to get a core in, slap a label on it and resell it to
saves an estimated 3,600 tons of CO2.
our customer, that represents maximum value.”
Sutherland presented a diesel engine rocker arm
assembly as an example. “The first thing we want to
Future-proofing do is try to prevent that wear from happening,” he
One of the biggest challenges in the remanufacturing process is of- said. “You want to minimize that by making sure you
ten that the assemblies and components themselves may not have have hardened surfaces. If that doesn’t do the trick,
been initially designed to be put back into service. This can lead to then you want to try to relocate the wear to a less im-
challenges in offering remanufacturing programs for certain products pactful location. If that doesn’t fix the issue, you have
due to lack of availability of parts or inability to service certain com- to ask, ‘Can you restore it?’ That’s the last step we
FROM TOP: JOHN DEERE; MTU

ponents that need reconditioning. want to consider.”

Jeff Sutherland, drivetrain product manager, Caterpillar remanufac- The design needs to have enough tolerance and
turing division, discussed these challenges in depth and what OEMs enough material to be able to machine out trouble
are doing to plan for remanufacturing their products in the future. spots or make repairs with additive manufacturing
“We have thousands of engineers or other employees in Caterpillar, processes, Sutherland said. “The software program
whether it’s in purchasing [or elsewhere], that can make decisions we use walks you through those design consider-
every single day that affect our ability to remanufacture a product,” ations upfront and as early as possible.”

32 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 ELECTRIFICATION | HYDRAULICS FEATURE

Challenges and opportunities for electrifying

machines
The use of electronic
components in hydraulic
systems is growing as vehicles
become increasingly electrified.

The switch to electrified off-highway vehicles can help reduce reliance on

hydraulic components that decrease system efficiency via parasitic losses.
by Zifan Liu

T
he off-highway machine industry is embracing elements such as the hydraulic motor, pump, control valve and cylin-
new technologies to optimize operations, spe- der decrease system efficiency due to leakage and friction losses.
cifically regarding electric and hybrid off-high- Additionally, electric off-highway vehicles are more efficient overall,
way equipment. The electric off-highway equip- need less maintenance and improve energy conversion, leading to
ment market is poised for growth, with an expected lower operational costs and a smaller carbon footprint.
12.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from
2025-2034, reaching over $17 billion, according to
Market Research Future.
Challenges and opportunities
These off-highway vehicles operate on tough terrain There are challenges to keep in mind with electric off-highway vehicles.
and require unprecedented amounts of power for long An overhaul of a machine’s power system requires careful consider-
duty cycles. Diesel engines have always been the con- ation and comprehensive analysis. The batteries needed to electrify
ventional application for this kind of work, but now heavy equipment can incur an upfront cost that has not changed sig-
hybrid and electric vehicles are starting to gain trac- nificantly over the years. For heavy-duty machines, these battery packs
tion thanks to new innovations and more investment. are expensive due to their large size compared to other components.
While the implications of replacing traditional com- Lithium-ion batteries that power electric off-highway machines have
bustion engines with hybrid or electric counterparts their own limitations, especially when it comes to duty cycles. Most op-
can be intimidating, learning the challenges and op- erators need a machine that can withstand long shifts — usually 10 to 12
portunities each option holds gives end users the hours. That requires massive batteries that still remain limited in power.
power to determine what’s right for their needs. While electric batteries have higher upfront costs, the total cost of
A major goal in switching to electric off-highway ve- ownership (TCO) of electrified off-highway vehicles is favorable. End
hicles is to eliminate tailpipe emissions and boost energy users can save money through the energy efficiency offered with elec-
efficiency by removing diesel engines, which still see less tric systems alongside the lower maintenance costs from fewer mov-
than 50% optimized efficiency. These engines are a ma- ing parts. The cost of powering an electric off-highway vehicle com-
jor source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and with pared to a conventional diesel engine vehicle is an important factor in
tougher environmental rules from recent years, there is determining total expense. While diesel fuel is expensive and subject
more focus on implementing energy-efficient solutions to price fluctuations, electricity remains significantly cheaper.
before completely overhauling off-highway machines. Additionally, planning and integration are important when it comes
Switching to electric off-highway vehicles doesn’t time to deploy electric off-highway vehicles. Operators need to plan
just cut GHG emissions through the elimination of die- vehicle charging times and charging sources. This might mean ad-
sel engines. The switch can also help reduce the need justing shift times and determining the best solution, such as using
for hydraulic components to make more efficient ma- an onboard charger (OBC). If these are deal breakers for operators,
chines that eliminate parasitic losses from valve throt- then a hybrid configuration may be the next best alternative.
tling, for example. It also reduces the environmental
impact associated with their production, disposal and
Hybridization an alternative
BOSCH REXROTH

potential leakage.
According to a 2023 study published in the Journal Energy and operational efficiency are top priorities to ensure success.
of Mechatronics and Artificial Intelligence in Engineering Hybrid systems — internal combustion engines with electric motors
(https://doi.org/10.21595/jmai.2023.23011), moving that drive hydraulic pumps — can also reduce vehicles’ total emissions

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 33

Challenges and opportunities for electrifying ELECTRIFICATION | HYDRAULICS FEATURE

machines

“In some
applications,
Rexroth engineered
its electrohydraulic manufacturers
eOC pump to ensure
the swash plate has
are even
the necessary over- considering
centering capability,
which is critical to fully electrifying
enable negative
displacement when
the boom and
boom regeneration bucket with
occurs.
Zifan Liu, Bosch Rexroth senior
battery-powered
electrified systems engineer. linear actuators.”
pump, engineers needed to adapt its internal compo-
nents and related control software to ensure the swash
Rexroth’s RM valve plate has the necessary over-centering capability. This is
features a patented critical to enable negative displacement when boom
compensator-less regeneration occurs. Additionally, Rexroth’s RM valve
design coupled with features a patented compensator-less design, coupled
advanced control with advanced control software, to facilitate reverse flow
software to facilitate when the boom is lowered during regeneration.
reverse flow when Manufacturers are increasingly exploring the use of
the boom is lowered electronic components in hydraulic systems, enabling
during regeneration. more advanced control and resulting in higher efficiency
and better system response. In some applications, man-
ufacturers are even considering fully electrifying the
boom and bucket with battery-powered linear actuators
without compromising their output. Typical hybrid configurations fea- that capture kinetic energy during vertical displacement.
ture energy storage systems (ESS) that help balance efficient perfor- Smarter data from AI and advancements in 5G con-
mance and sustainability while also extending the operational time. nectivity and the IoT have helped tackle these chal-
In this case, the ESS functions as both a power and energy buffer. lenges, especially in industries such as forestry that op-
As a power buffer, it supports the system during peak load demands, erate in remote locations. Machines with IoT tech and
enabling a smaller engine and optimizing engine efficiency. As an comprehensive telematics systems will positively im-
energy buffer, it allows the vehicle to operate in electric vehicle (EV) pact electric off-highway vehicles in the coming years.
mode using the ESS alone. In both modes, the ESS contributes to These solutions can help end users who are experi-
reducing GHG emissions and increasing system efficiency. However, encing a lack of skilled operators, as real-time con-
managing the various energy sources onboard presents a challenge, nections to information improve minute-by-minute
as it requires supervisory control at the vehicle level. operations, thus simplifying operations. With ad-
In some applications, the ESS is absent. In these cases, the main vanced, connected machines, operators have full ac-
benefits come from the electrification of certain functions such as cess to monitoring, and an integrated display can
traction and power take-off (PTO), which eliminates the need for hy- provide a less complex way to operate a vehicle.
draulic components. However, the DC link control becomes challeng- These displays often include fewer buttons, voice
ing, particularly in terms of voltage stability and other factors. control and a sleek design, making systems easier to
use after some training.
There isn’t a consensus among industry experts on
Emerging trends
ALL IMAGES: BOSCH REXROTH

one option being fundamentally and unequivocally bet-

Off-highway vehicles with electrified systems can capture and regen- ter than another — each has its own benefits and draw-
erate energy for some processes, such as when a vehicle’s boom is backs. Moving forward, it’s important for operators to
down and the vehicle is braking. This requires valve and pump de- think about their use cases and what makes the most
signs to change in order to enable precise energy regeneration. sense for them regarding operational efficiency.
For example, in a recent electric Compact Track Loader (eCTL) proto- Zifan Liu, Ph.D., Bosch Rexroth senior electrified systems
type using Bosch Rexroth’s electronic Open Circuit (eOC) axial piston engineer, wrote this article for SAE Media.

34 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 Sustainable Transportation Summit:
Technologies for an Energy-Efficient Future
July 23-24, 2025 | Online

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advancements and opportunities in alternative fuels and hydrogen will impact the
aviation, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries.

Topics covered during the FREE event include:

• Challenges of identifying and addressing H2 standards
• The regulatory landscape of fuel cell electric vehicles
• FAA hydrogen-fueled aircraft safety and certification roadmap
• Hydrogen innovation for Class 8 trucks

Visit sae.org/sustainable-summit to register!

ORIGINAL
EQUIPMENT
ACT Expo 2025: Heavy-duty EVs, H2 trucks and tariff talk dominate
Opening day of the ACT Expo 2025 in
Anaheim, California, was a flood of
product announcements and clean-fuel
initiative updates from the likes of
Kenworth, Harbinger and Hyundai.
While the trucks and the technology
behind them were the main message,
the specter of impending transporta-
tion policy changes and tariffs con-
firmed that the first 100 days of the
Trump administration have thrown the
industry a collective curve ball.

A class of its own

Kenworth was the first presenter to step
up to the plate with its announcement of
the T880E and T680E battery-electric
trucks. Kenworth is calling the T880E
“the industry’s first Class 8 vocational
The latest Kenworth T680E and T880E trucks feature the same new PACCAR-derived ePowertrain system.
battery-electric truck for the North
American truck market.” Customer deliv-
eries of the T880E are scheduled to be- Kenworth states that the T880E is tion offers 625 kWh with a GVWR of
gin later this year. motivated by a PACCAR-developed 82,000 lb (37,195 kg). The T880E uses a
“The Kenworth T880E marks a ePowertrain platform that delivers be- CCS1 DC charge port with a peak charge
groundbreaking milestone in Kenworth’s tween 365 and 470 hp (272 and 350 rating of 350 kW. A depleted battery can
history,” said Kevin Haygood, Kenworth’s kW) of continuous power and up to be recharged to 90% in approximately
assistant general manager for sales and 605 peak hp (451 kW) with 1,850 lb-ft two hours, according to Kenworth.
marketing. “The T880E is engineered to (2,508 Nm) of torque. According to Joe Adams, Kenworth’s
meet the evolving needs of operators The T880E will reportedly be offered chief engineer, the central drive eMotor
and vocational fleets while still providing with four battery configurations provid- allows for wheelbase flexibility, lift axle
the durability, reliability and customiza- ing ranges from 100 to 250 miles (160 to installations and makes for a vocation-
tion our customers expect.” 400 km). The largest battery configura- al-friendly BEV integration. Additionally,
the T880E will feature factory-installed
options for high- and low-voltage ePTO
ports, which can be utilized to power
equipment or a mechanical ePTO. A
variety of wheelbase and cab configu-
rations will also be offered.
Concurrently with the reveal of the
T880E, Kenworth also announced the
arrival of the new T680E battery-elec-
tric truck. The T680E is available for
order in the U.S. and Canada with cus-
tomer deliveries scheduled to begin
later this year.
BOTH IMAGES: SAE/MATT WOLFE

The Next Generation T680E is de-

signed for short- and regional-haul, LTL
and drayage operations. It is available as
a day cab as either a tractor or straight
truck in a 6x4 axle configuration.
The latest T680E also features the same
The T680E is offered in three battery-string configurations with the largest configuration offering new PACCAR-derived ePowertrain system
500 kWh of power and over 200 miles (329 km) of range. as its T880E stablemate, delivering the

36 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT

same performance figures. The T680E

is offered in three battery-string con-
figurations, the largest offering 500
kWh of power and more than 200 miles
(329 km) of range and up to 82,000 lb
(37,195 kg) GVWR. The T680E also uses
a CCS1 DC fast charger that provides a
350-kWh peak charge rate, with ap-
proximately the same recharge time as
the T880E.
“As the industry adapts to evolving
regulations, our customers want access
to a broad selection of products and
technologies, and Kenworth’s compre-
hensive lineup of high-performance die-
sel, natural gas and zero-emission ve-
hicles allow us to provide solutions for
every customer need,” Haygood said.

The Harbinger of hype

After announcing the official start of The T880E uses a CCS1 DC charge port with a peak charge rating of 350 kW. A depleted battery can
be recharged to 90% in approximately two hours.
production for its medium-duty com-
mercial chassis earlier this month
thanks to 5,000 pre-orders, Harbinger Panasonic’s facility in De Soto, Kansas. of Harbinger, during the company’s
confirmed at ACT Expo that Panasonic This would permit a supply of U.S.- press conference at ACT Expo.
Energy has been named the official produced battery cells for delivery to “To be clear, I’m not talking about total
battery supplier for all of the company’s Harbinger’s U.S.-based production facil- cost of ownership. I’m talking about ac-
medium-duty electric vehicles. ity. According to Harbinger, this would quisition for experience. That’s one reason
According to Harbinger, Panasonic mark the first instance of a complete why we launched our IRA [Inflation
will be supplying its 2170 batteries for battery pack assembly in the commercial Reduction Act of 2022] risk-free guaran-
all models. These battery cells offer an vehicle sector to be fully U.S.-sourced. tee. Harbinger absorbs the financial risk
energy density of above 800 Wh/L. “For electric trucks to become ubiq- from our customers who are concerned
These batteries will be sourced from uitous, they need to be offered at price about the disappearance of federal tax
Japan for the time being, but there are parity with their diesel competitors,” incentives for commercial vehicles. We’re
plans afoot to expand production to said John Harris, co-founder and CEO also ensuring that our vehicles remain
price competitive with equivalent diesel
vehicles with or without the IRA.”
Harris also put a shot across the bow of
Harbinger’s competitors, some of which
were in attendance during its press con-
ference. “Most of [our competitors] are
offering trucks that are repowered ver-
sions of gas and diesel platforms. This
leads to compromises in safety and their
ability, and above all, to increased cost.
We started fresh with a clean sheet and
designed an all-electric medium heavy
BOTH IMAGES: SAE/MATT WOLFE

chassis from the ground up.”

Harris also touted Harbinger’s techni-
cal prowess to provide a product that
exceeds current EV customer expecta-
tions. “One major criticism of EVs is cold
weather performance, which can reduce
Harbinger announced the official start of production for its medium-duty commercial chassis range dramatically. To mitigate this im-
earlier this month. pact, we developed a multi-zone heat

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 37

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT

business expansions and paving the way

for the hydrogen economy,” said Ken
Ramirez, EVP and head of global com-
mercial vehicle and hydrogen business at
Hyundai Motor Company.
“Building on this success, we’re scal-
ing additional domestic sites and ad-
vancing plans for our first overseas facil-
ity in Indonesia,” Ramirez said. “Driving
our port decarbonization efforts, we
have expanded the deployment of fuel
cell buses, trucks and forklifts across key
logistic hubs in Korea, including ports,
airports and industrial complexes.”

Accelerating autonomous H2
fuel cell trucks
Hyundai and Plus also made a joint an-
nouncement at ACT Expo outlining
their continued collaboration to acceler-
Panasonic and Harbinger are reportedly collaborating to create a supply of U.S.-produced battery ate the development of autonomous
cells for delivery to Harbinger’s U.S.-based production facility.
hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks in
the United States. The collaboration
pump system that allows us to use waste laboration with fleet operators has pairs Hyundai XCIENT fuel cell trucks
heat from the drive unit to keep the cabin helped optimize the truck for use cases with Plus’s AI-based autonomous driv-
and battery warm, dramatically decreas- such as port transportation and medi- ing software, SuperDrive.
ing energy consumption in the winter.” um-distance logistics. A video posted by Hyundai and Plus
Harris continued, “In addition to ex- Via the NorCal Zero Project, a total of states that self-driving technology can
treme testing, we fielded dozens of 30 XCIENT fuel cell trucks are currently “supercharge” the benefits of the fuel
units across the U.S. at proving grounds in operation at the ports of Oakland cell trucks by further decreasing operat-
and in customer hands on the road. This and Richmond in California (www.sae. ing costs the more they are utilized. The
was our last step before moving to se- org/news/2024/06/first-element-fast- plan calls for deploying the autonomous
ries production. Earlier this month, we fill-hydrogen-truck-stop). This report- hydrogen fuel cell trucks along high-
announced the launch of our electric edly represents the largest single com- utilization hub-to-hub routes to help
chassis, and we’ve already built over mercial deployment of hydrogen trucks establish strategically placed hydrogen
100 units.” in North America. Hyundai stated that it refueling stations as more routes come
is developing plans to also deploy online. “This way the stations would
XCIENT expansion XCIENT trucks at the Hyundai plant in quickly achieve full utilization and move
Hyundai rounded out the press confer- Montgomery, Alabama, as well as the into self-sustaining profitability,” the vid-
ences for day one of ACT Expo by con- Kia plant in West Point, Georgia. eo states. Infrastructure is expected to
tinuing to swing for the fences with its Hyundai also announced the expan- grow across the Sun Belt region initially
hydrogen fuel cell technology. The sion of its HTWO hydrogen business and then expand nationally to fuel other
Hyundai XCIENT H2 fuel cell Class 8 brand into an open platform. The com- hydrogen-fueled trucks.
truck has been around for half a decade pany announced plans to launch an “Hyundai Motor believes in a sustain-
now but has seen continued refine- HTWO Energy Savannah initiative, able future powered by advanced fuel
ments since its introduction in 2020. which is a Class 8 heavy-duty truck hy- cell technologies,” said Jim Park, SVP of
These latest revisions are reportedly drogen refueling and electric recharg- commercial vehicle and hydrogen busi-
designed specifically for the North ing station in collaboration with ness development at Hyundai. “We hope
American market. HydroFleet and Capital Development to continue our partnership with Plus to
The new XCIENT features an upgrad- Partners in Savannah, Georgia. The sta- add autonomous driving capabilities to
ed hydrogen fuel cell system and since tion is scheduled to begin operations by XCIENT fuel cell trucks in the future and
2021 has undergone rigorous testing the end of 2025. provide our fleet operator customers
HARBINGER

across diverse climates and use cases in “H2 continues to evolve and grow. And with additional solutions that improve
North America. According to Hyundai, it’s now our platform for collaboration, road safety and freight efficiency.”
this testing along with continuous col- partnership and investment, accelerating Matt Wolfe

38 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT

No fear of loading: Driving the 2025 Ram Heavy Duty

The 2025 heavy-duty Ram pickups

had no issues hauling loads up
and down the Davis Dam grade.

The desert landscapes of the western For most visitors, Laughlin is a town that towards the dam with a camper in tow.
United States have changed since Mr. exists to deposit the contents of their “What the standard really does is lend
Duke and Dr. Gonzo blazed a trail 401K into a slot machine in hopes of a credibility to the numbers we put out,”
across them in a drug-infused haze. But redneck-retirement. For North American- he explained. “Meeting the standard is a
their advice to buy the ticket and take based truck engineers, the appeal of very important part of our criteria and
the ride is still a wise mantra — espe- Laughlin lies outside the flashing lights of has been since it first came out back in
cially in the serene comfort of a modern the cigarette smoke-filled casinos. 2008.” Though the standard has been
full-size pickup. Completed in 1951, the Davis Dam revised several times since, the basic
As inhospitable as southern Nevada blockades the path of the Colorado premise has remained largely the same:
can be outside Sin City, the amenities River downstream from Hoover Dam. It to create a benchmark for trucks that
within the climate-controlled and leath- bisects the border of Arizona and claim to be the heaviest haulers.
er-lined cabin of the latest Ram pickups Nevada to form Lake Mohave. The dam For Killian and his team at Ram, their
insulate you from those realities. SAE houses five Francis turbines that annu- goal is to go beyond simply meeting the
Media was invited to sample the latest ally generate 1,148 GWh of electricity. SAE numbers. They also want their cus-
heavy haulers in Ram’s portfolio, includ- This is the backdrop for one of the tomers to feel comfortable while doing
ing the new 2500 and 3500 models most important towing tests for truck so. “We’re putting down big numbers
with the high-output version of the engineers, SAE J2807, aka the Davis Dam with our competitors,” he said. “But in
Cummins B6.7 diesel. test (www.sae.org/standards/content/ terms of how the truck goes about it, one
Our time behind the wheel included j2807_202411/). The Davis Dam test re- area we’re really proud of is customers
some light overlanding as well as runs quires a vehicle to climb the grade on didn’t realize that a truck with these ca-
up and down the Davis Dam grade Route 68 between Bullhead City and pabilities could be so quiet and relaxing.”
while hauling loads of all shapes and Golden Valley, Arizona. The climb is a Killian continued, “My job is basically
sizes. No hitchhikers were on hand to total of 3,500 ft (1,100 m) over 11 miles managing trade-offs, making decisions
give a second opinion on the latest (18 km). The test also requires a starting and deciding which trade we’re going
heavy-duty Ram’s capabilities, so our temperature of 100°F (38°C) while the air to make. We feel we can stretch the
impressions of these great red sharks conditioning is blowing at full capacity. paradigm and break out of the mental-
will have to suffice. Doug Killian, chief vehicle synthesis ity of, ‘well, it has to be done this way.’”
manager, Ram Trucks, talked us through Killian was a dynamics engineer at the
Heavy stuff the importance of the J2807 standard time Ram decided to forgo leaf springs
Our time with this herd of Rams was from the passenger seat of a DRW Ram on the 1500 model, a design change
RAM

spent in and around Laughlin, Nevada. 3500 while we pointed its nose uphill that was seen as a gamble at the time

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 39

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT

but has now made its way onto the

heavier-duty Ram pickups.
“I think a lot of truck makers are still
stuck in the ‘it has to be leaf springs’
mentality. But we thought if we could
break that paradigm on the 1500, we
could do it on a 2500. We built some
prototypes, did some simulation, applied
what we knew from our 1500 experience
and took a bit of a leap,” he said.
“We wanted to make sure that people
can be running less loaded or even un-
loaded and still have the same ride com-
fort and handling. Loaded handling is
important, of course, but we can also
provide good ride-and-handling balance
when unloaded. If we can make a 2500
drive more like a 1500 used to and make
a 1500 feel like a passenger car, we’re
going to get more people that want to
The latest Power Wagons
buy a pickup truck. What was keeping
show off their off-road prowess.
people out of trucks for years was they
liked the interior and the size, but the
ride was just beating them up.” bringing the bed down a little bit.” low twos. Generally, a dually is a good
“It’s really not as much about ride com- place for the air suspension because we
Riding high and low fort,” he explained. “Air suspension in can hit these higher towing numbers but
Killian detailed what customer feedback theory is not going to ride better. It’s got keep the low level attitude of the truck.
has been in terms of the implementation a lower spring rate, but the math is still Thanks to the air suspension, we can
of air suspension into Ram’s heavy haul- the same in terms of F=kx. The biggest have a variable ride frequency without a
ers. “Managing ground clearance and bed difference between air springs and a leaf variable rate spring, which will have to
height is one aspect we’ve gotten good or coil spring is its just less friction.” sag to hit that ride rate. We can get a
feedback on,” he said. “Ride height with a Killian also discussed the differences higher ride frequency at a level ride
loaded or unloaded trailer is important to in ride frequency goals between suspen- height with the air springs.”
a heavy-duty customer. The bed height is sions. “In the case of the 3500, where Killian explained where the 2500 Ram
also taller on a 2500 or 3500. So rear air the air suspension is more of a helper falls in terms of ride-and-handling goals
suspension became a way to meet the because we still have a leaf spring, we’re in the product lineup. “For the 2500,
towing and loading needs while also shooting for a ride frequency around the we’re really trying to make an effort to
split that gap between the 1500 and
3500,” he said. “The 2500 fills a gap for
people who maybe want to haul their
camper but only do that for a few months
in a year. Those customers don’t want to
feel punished while driving unloaded the
rest of the time, so that’s a market we
found the 2500 fits really well for.”

Cummins up the mountain

While the power and torque figures of
the new 6.7-liter HO Cummins diesel
— 430 hp (320 kW) at 2,800 rpm and
BOTH IMAGES: RAM

1,075 lb-ft (1,458 Nm) at 1,800 rpm

— will be the selling point for most
buyers, the pairing of this engine with
This Dodge Ram SRT-10 from the company’s heritage collection was one of the favorite loads to haul. the eight-speed ZF 8AP1075 Powerline

40 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT

automatic transmission has Ram’s engineers equally excited.

“We’re able to keep the engine in its most efficient operat-
ing zone,” Killian said. “You can see we’re running around
2100-2200 rpm,” pointing at the tach as our Ram 3500 mo-
tors up the Davis grade. “We can keep the engine tighter into
its peak performance and efficiency zone with this gearbox.
First gear has also gone from roughly a three-to-one ratio to
over a four-to-one. When you’re not in tow haul, it’s normally
going to be starting in second gear from a standstill.”
The addition of the eight-speed transmission also allowed
Ram to streamline the final drive options for diesel customers.
For 2025, only a 3.42 rear axle ratio is offered. The gearbox
features a five clutch-pack design with two open clutches in
any gear. Torque converter lock with turbine torsional damper
for low lock-up speeds is available in all gears. Seventh and
eighth gears are overdriven while sixth is the direct drive gear.
The combination of the high-output Cummins mill and the
ZF-supplied eight-speed auto is impressive. Our drive up and
down the Davis Dam grade with a fifth-wheel camper in tow felt
like a routine run to Vegas to catch a Debbie Reynolds show. The new High Output
Though I’m sure parking would be a struggle for such a rig. version of the Cummins
B6.7 engine is rated at
430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft.
Off the road again
Once we finished our trailer towing trials, the Ram team let us into. The Power Wagon makes you feel like a more skilled
loose with the latest version of the Power Wagon on the des- overlander than you really are. That’s an observation, not a
ert trails around Laughlin. These roads won’t be confused complaint. There were several tight passes that our trio of
with anything from the Mint 400, but they still provided am- trucks had to maneuver through, but thanks to the electronic
ple opportunity to test the Power Wagon’s capabilities. Our sway bar disconnect system (and the expert guidance of
Power Wagon was a 2500 model equipped with the 6.4-liter Ram’s engineers), we made it through without adding any
Hemi V8. While its torque numbers fall well short of its new pinstripes.
Cummins stablemate, the 405-hp (302-kW) V8 had ample Near the end of our trail ride, there was an open section of
grunt to move the truck up and down the trail. sandy whoops that we were told could be done at speed. Not
There’s no getting around the Power Wagon’s size in tight wanting to waste an opportunity to use the skinny pedal, we
quarters. But the full suite of cameras provide a 360-degree obliged the request of our guide and proceeded to see who
view of whatever obstacle you’re about to unwittingly bash could set the high score on the speedometer for the roughly
quarter-mile section of open trail. We can confirm that while
that section of road tested the limits of the Power Wagon’s
suspension travel, the trucks completed their Baja sprint with-
out incident despite achieving speeds greater than we trav-
eled at on the freeway back to the hotel.

Getting a fix
While the American public has long had an appetite for
strong hallucinogens, their psychedelic addiction to pickups
still outpaces anything that the cartels can offer. Ram has
continued to be one of Stellantis’s strongest strains, and the
more potent diesel offering courtesy of Cummins is sure to
bring more power junkies to their door.
That power is tempered by the efforts the Ram engineering
BOTH IMAGES: RAM

team has poured into making their heavy-duty offerings more

The ZF eight-speed 8AP1075 Powerline approachable for recreational users. Not every truck buyer is
automatic transmission features a numerically looking to go on a wild trip. Most just want to take a nice journey.
lower first gear than the outgoing six-speed unit. Matt Wolfe

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 41

PRODUCT
BRIEFS
Power generation Electric motors
Hatz Americas (Waukesha, Danfoss (Nordburg, Denmark) launched
Wisconsin) expanded its power its Editron EM-PMI540B electric motor.
generation product portfolio to Based on synchronous reluctance-assist-
include AC and DC mobile die- ed permanent magnet technology, the
sel generators for the recre- EM-PMI540B functions as both a motor
ational vehicle and industrial and a generator. Designed for electric or
markets. The new offerings hybrid drivetrains in demanding applica-
provide prepackaged, sound-attenuated solutions for power tions, such as off-highway machinery and marine vessels, it
generation and hybrid battery charging. Manufacturing and test- offers high efficiency, non-stop continuous power and a high
ing of the 1B30VE engines used in the generators will continue operational altitude. The EM-PMI540B electric motor builds
to take place at the primary engine plant in Ruhstorf, Germany. on the high efficiency of the EM-PMI540A, offering approxi-
Final assembly of the generator sets will occur at Hatz’s new mately 96% efficiency throughout its operating range. The
production facility in Italy. The first model released will be the EM-PMI540B is also smaller and lighter in weight than con-
GD3200-120 Silent Pack with RV package, which is available to ventional products, enabling easier machine integration. It
order. This will be followed by the BD3000-56 Silent Pack for can operate at full power, non-stop, for as long as the duty
use in either 28V or 56V hybrid battery charging systems. cycle requires.
https://www.hatzamericas.com https://www.danfoss.com

Filter testing Simulation platforms

Cambustion (Cambridge, United VI-grade (Udine, Italy) announced
Kingdom) has developed a new AutoHawk Extreme, the most performant
DPG particle filter test system. The configuration of its XiL simulation plat-
company states that the new base- form powered by Concurrent Real-Time
line model of its particle filter test technology. Designed for real-time de-
solution improves performance tailed multibody simulations, AutoHawk
analysis and development of ex- Extreme reportedly delivers speed and
haust equipment in the heavy-duty industrial market. efficiency while maintaining a quiet, liq-
Cambustion says it streamlined the technology to reduce costs uid-cooled design that allows seamless integration. Equipped
without compromising on essential capability. The equipment with 8 performance cores running at 5.0 GHz, 12 efficiency cores
is designed to test the DPF or GPF to its limits while simultane- at 4.0 GHz, and DDR5 RAM clocked at 6000 MHz, this system
ously measuring and recording essential performance data. surpasses existing AutoHawk configurations for real-time execu-
Engine manufacturers can reportedly use the data from the tion of simulations that require up to 7 high-frequency perfor-
unit to support product development and improve the perfor- mance cores for computationally intensive tasks while still utiliz-
mance and durability of their exhaust technologies. ing the 12 efficiency cores for ancillary, less demanding models.
https://www.cambustion.com https://www.vi-grade.com

Digital valve amplifiers Cooling lines for H2

Weber-Hydraulik (Güglingen, Continental (Hanover,
Germany) offers a solution that Germany) has developed a
allows switching and proportional system line intended for
valves to be conveniently con- cooling in the hydrogen
trolled on a smartphone or laptop powertrain of commercial
and even control loops to be cre- vehicles, which considerably
ated. Using a web interface — reduces the penetration of
without USB cable, additional app or tools — operators can use ions into the media circuit. The synthetic rubber line has a
this solution to commission proportional valves and determine mixture of materials whose special properties make them less
the best possible valve control to adjust hydraulic systems even susceptible to the leaching of ions from the line material. This
more precisely to the respective tasks. The EasyProp valve driv- reduces the transfer of ions into the cooling circuit of hydro-
er is compatible with valves from all manufacturers via the com- gen drive systems. The material made of synthetic EPDM rub-
mon interface DIN EN 175301-803 (old DIN 43650) Form A and ber reportedly offers the necessary high resistance against
can be used immediately thanks to preset parameters. the unwanted leaching of ions.
https://www.weber-hydraulik.com https://www.continental.com

42 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 Q&A
Transmission talk: Eaton’s commercial gearboxes
Last summer, SAE Media was invited to Eaton’s proving reap all the same benefits of motor downsizing in a fuel cell
grounds in Marshall, Michigan, to test drive an electric truck like you would in an EV. Plus, the transmission still costs less
the company had built in collaboration with BAE Systems. from a total system perspective.
The truck was a showcase not only of BAE’s powertrain con-
trol technology, but also of Eaton’s new multi-speed heavy- Are there still cases where a single-speed gearbox is the answer?
duty EV transmission. That truck was on display at the 2025 Absolutely. For medium duty, there’s plenty of cases where
ACT Expo, as was Eaton’s transmission. SAE Media spoke with you really don’t need multispeed. As much as we’d love to sell
Scott Adams, SVP of technology and global products for them the four-speed, sometimes the customer has an applica-
Eaton, in Anaheim, California, about the company’s portfolio tion that just doesn’t need it. There’s definitely a segment.
of multi- and single-speed medium- and heavy-duty transmis-
sions as well as other upcoming driveline offerings. How close are you to bringing your single-speed medium-
duty unit to production?
What are the differences between the medium- and heavy- Our unit is still in validation right now, but we’ll have it ready
duty markets for multi-speed EV gearboxes? pretty soon. Most likely within the next 18
Our medium-duty four-speed has been in months or so. It’s a really efficient package
production for close to a decade now. Asia that will work with a smaller motor that can
has been our best market for that transmis- run at higher speeds. We’re trying to give
sion. We’ve used them for both hybrids and that broader portfolio to the customers
EVs and sell them mostly in China and more options.
southeast Asia, mostly for buses. Direct drive
units can still work in those applications, but What’s an application for that heavy-duty
you’d still need bigger motors. Anywhere four-speed that a customer has asked for
there’s hills, like Taiwan and Indonesia, the that was not expected?
multi-speed transmission is the better We continue to get asked about different
choice. On the heavy-duty side, our custom- features. That unit has a PTO on it, and we
ers were asking for higher torque and GVW ran into some limitations with a PTO on an
ratings. That led us to launch the four-speed. EV because the motor doesn’t run as fast as
It’s a global product, and we have a couple a diesel engine. We’re getting asked, how
of customers already lined up for that unit. can we use that PTO at lower speeds and are
Scott Adams, SVP of technology and there other reduction gears we can actually
In addition to EVs and hybrids, are you see- global products for Eaton. use to speed up the output? The motor is not
ing demand for the heavy-duty four-speed going to run faster, but there are things we
in other applications as well?
We have a couple of customers that are using
“On the heavy- can do to allow the PTO to run faster. So,
we’re fielding those sorts of questions. For
that transmission in conjunction with fuel cells.
One in China for the Australian market and
duty side, our example, if you’re dumping concrete, that’s
an application where you need good control
another customer that has their fuel cell truck
on display here at the Expo. They’ve taken
customers were at low speeds. But you also need a machine
that’s just got a little bit more speed to oper-
about 80 transmissions so far, and we just asking for higher ate the machine at the required rate.
launched it last fall. Most of the demand from
that customer is for short-distance delivery. torque and GVW What other questions are you fielding
They have both ICE and EVs and were using a
two-speed EV transmission that just wasn’t ratings. That led from customers?
We get asked about the first gear reduction.
working for them. About 18 months ago, we
started working with them on a prototype
us to launch the You can’t cover every part of the market, so
we did a global market assessment when we
build with the four-speed and they decided to
switch to our product.
four-speed.” picked the ratios of that transmission to try to
cover as much of the market we felt we could
without having multiple geartrains. We plan
So not only do you have EV applications to release cybersecurity and functional safety
SAE/MATT WOLFE

for that four-speed, you’re also getting in the next couple of years, too, but we want-
demand from the fuel cell side. ed to get the product out quickly. We’ll con-
Exactly, in a fuel cell application, when you tinue to add features as that product matures.
move away from a direct drive unit you Matt Wolfe

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 43

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY SPONSORED CONTENT
SUPPLIER PROFILES

INTERFACE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS BY ALKEGEN

Corporate Headquarters
5215 N. O’Connor Blvd.
Suite 2300
Irving, TX 75039
Phone: 248-231-4012
https://www.alkegen.com/sealing

About Our Company

Interface Performance Materials by Alkegen is the leading
manufacturer of sealing systems and engineered compos-
ite materials. For more than 100 years our advanced engi-
neering expertise, global manufacturing excellence, inno-
vative portfolio, and unique product validation capabilities
allow us to be your strategic source for technically reliable
gasket solutions.
Our products include high performance materials uti-
lized in heavy-duty diesel, automotive, small engine, indus-
trial, and aligned Tiered-component manufacturing indus-
tries. Our extensive knowledge within these application
spaces allows us to respond effectively to the ever-chang-
ing industry demands. This is framed via customized solu- Target Markets
tions that precisely fit the expectations for performance,
reliability, and best overall value. Our innovative portfolio of products are engineered for a
wide range of applications in the automotive, EV, heavy-
duty diesel, small engines, industrial and related industries.

Products/Services Offered
Gasket Engineered Composite Materials
High performance sealing solutions for a range of applica-
tions in the automotive, heavy-duty diesel, small engines,
industrial and related industries.

Select-A-Seal® Rubber-Edged Composite Gasket

Perimeter sealing technology that prevents moisture in-
gress and helps to eliminate corrosion migration where a
reliable barrier is critical to operation.

https://www.alkegen.com/sealing

44 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 SPONSORED CONTENT

CUMMINS INC. healthy communities: education, environment and equal-

1000 5th Street ity of opportunity. Cummins serves its customers online,
Columbus, IN 47201 through a network of company-owned and independent
Phone: 800-CUMMINS distributor locations and through thousands of dealer
www.cummins.com locations worldwide and earned about $2.2 billion on
sales of $28.1 billion in 2022.

About Our Company Target Markets

Cummins Inc., a global power technology leader, is a cor- Cummins has customers across many industries including:
poration of complementary business segments that de- Agriculture, Construction, Industrial, Marine, RV, On-
sign, manufacture, distribute and service a broad portfo- Highway Trucks, Rail, Power Generation, Ports, Ground
lio of power solutions. The company’s products range Support Equipment, Forestry, Busses, Pickup Trucks and
from internal combustion, electric and hybrid integrated Emergency Vehicles.
power solutions to components including filtration, after-
treatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, controls systems, Products/Services Offered
air handling systems, automated transmissions, electric
power generation systems, microgrid controls, batteries, The company’s products range from internal combustion,
electrolyzers and fuel-cell products. Headquartered in electric and hybrid integrated power solutions to compo-
Columbus, Indiana (U.S.), since its founding in 1919, nents including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel
Cummins employs approximately 73,600 people commit- systems, controls systems, air-handling systems, automated
ted to powering a more prosperous world through three transmissions, electric power generation systems, microgrid
global corporate responsibility priorities critical to controls, batteries, electrolyzers and fuel-cell products.

www.cummins.com

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 45

 SPONSORED CONTENT

DANFOSS POWER SOLUTIONS

2800 E 13th St
Ames, IA 50010
Phone: 515-239-6000
E-mail: danfoss@danfoss.com
Website: www.danfoss.com

About Our Company Products/Services Offered

At Danfoss Power Solutions, we have the technology and Danfoss designs and manufactures a complete range of
the expertise to transform mobile and industrial machin- engineered components and systems. From hydraulics and
ery, leading the way to a more sustainable future. Together electrification to fluid conveyance, electronic controls, and
with our customers, we are increasing machine productiv- software, our solutions are engineered with an uncompro-
ity and efficiency while reducing or eliminating emissions. mising focus on quality, reliability, and safety. Product lines
Our innovative products make this possible, but it’s our include controllers, displays, and operator interfaces; elec-
people who turn those possibilities into reality. Leveraging tric converters, motors, and integrated systems; hoses and
our unsurpassed application know-how, we partner with fittings; hydraulic pumps, motors, valves, and power units;
customers around the world to solve their greatest ma- joysticks and foot pedals; remote controls; sensors; steer-
chine challenges. Our aspiration is to help our customers ing solutions; and transmissions.
achieve their vision — and to earn our place as their pre- In collaboration with our global partners, we offer spe-
ferred and trusted partner. Together, we’re engineering cialized engineering services such as system design and
tomorrow to build a better future. integration, custom software development, autonomous
technology solutions, and remanufacturing. At our
Target Markets Application Development Centers, Danfoss engineers work
closely with customers to benchmark, develop, test, vali-
Danfoss solutions are ideal for a wide range of machinery date, and refine off-highway vehicle systems. Our compre-
applications, including construction, agriculture, material hensive testing facilities accelerate research and develop-
handling, forestry, drilling, mining, and utility, plus com- ment, significantly shortening machine design cycles and
mercial on-highway vehicles. reducing time to market.

www.danfoss.com

46 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 SPONSORED CONTENT

ISUZU MOTORS AMERICA, LLC sell and service our custom-

46401 Commerce Center Drive ers, including engines, ac-
Plymouth, MI 48170 cessories, service tools and
Phone: 734-582-9470 Isuzu Genuine Parts.
E-mail: Kimberly.Murray@isuzu.com Isuzu Diesel products in-
www.isuzuengines.com clude more than 30 off-road
engine models with power
ranging from 11.8HP to be-
About Our Company yond 500HP.

Our parent company, Isuzu Motors Limited, can trace its Target Markets
history back to 1916. Over the past century, the company
has become a worldwide leader as an innovative and qual- Isuzu’s reliable, eco-friendly, durable, and technologically
ity diesel engine manufacturer with global engine produc- advanced variable and constant speed engines power cus-
tion exceeding 28,000,000. tomer-specific applications in agricultural, construction,
Today, Isuzu Motors America, LLC, PowerTrain Division, industrial, medical, and commercial equipment markets.
headquartered in Michigan, is the exclusive Isuzu Diesel
engine distributor in the US, Canada, and Latin America. Products/Services Offered
Our products are sought after by manufacturers and con-
sumers that turn to our durable diesel engines and power Isuzu Diesel offers a comprehensive range of off-highway in-
units for the machinery that drives their livelihoods. dustrial engines and pre-validated genset-ready power units1
The Isuzu PowerTrain Division has built a vast network from 11.8 – 512 HP (8.8 – 382 kW), engineered to meet Tier 4
of dealers and distributors numbering more than 400 to Final and Stage V emissions2 standards. With a reputation for
fuel efficiency, thermal stability, and field-proven reliability,
Isuzu products support continuous duty in demanding applica-
tions. We also offer pre-validated Genset-Ready Power Units,
Isuzu Genuine Parts, and proprietary diagnostic tools like the
IDST, which enable fast, accurate troubleshooting. Our indus-
try-leading 5-year/5,000-hour3 limited warranty reinforces
our commitment to uptime, quality, and responsive support.
1
Pre-tested and 100% validated on specific models; over 90% validated on
optional configurations and components. See your authorized Isuzu repre-
sentative for warranty and other details.
2
See an authorized Isuzu representative for product availability and other
information.
3
5-year/5,000-hour is the standard limited warranty. 3C models and power unit
components offer a 2-year/2,000-hour limited warranty. Warranty is based on
years or hours of service, whichever comes first. See an authorized Isuzu repre-
sentative for warranty and other details.

www.isuzuengines.com

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 47

 SPONSORED CONTENT

ROTA LIMITED Independently Pin-Mounted

Wellington Street Transducers
Bury
Manchester LU
BL8 2BD Series

Country: United Kingdom
LN
Phone: 00 44 161 764 0424  Series
E-mail: info@rota-ltd.com
www.rota-ltd.com 
LD
LL
About Our Company Series

Rota Limited designs and manufactures the smallest, most

Short pin-to-pin length
robust linear transducers for position control/monitoring
of hydraulic cylinders. This Hall effect technology has been Very robust, high vibration capacity
specifically designed for a small size so as not to increase
Highly customisable
the existing pin to pin dimensions on — 95% of existing
cylinders in the mobile market and to withstand both UN ECE R10 Automotive EMC specification
physical abuse and exposure to dust, water, etc. Many
types of threads and mounting arrangements are available
to best fit the cylinder type and application requirements. Target Market
New products shown will be tank level sensors (hydraulic,
fuel and chemical tanks) and the ability to mount magnets Hydraulic Cylinder Manufacturers
and sensors external to the hydraulic cylinder for ultimate
flexibility and application cost reduction. Products/Services Offered
Controls, Electronics, Hydraulics, Sensors and Testing.
Externally Mounted
Transducers

Sensor For Monitoring Tank Level

TL
EL
Se
Series
Mobile Cylinder Series
Magnet Transducers

LA
Series

e
UN ECE R10 automotive EMC specification

l
No gun drilling s
cost LB
Series e
Capable of monitoring position and temperature
Fast, low cost maintenence
l in length
Up to 6 metres s
Ideal for steering and long cylinders
UN ECE R10 Automotive EMC specification
Maintains pin-to-pin dimension
High accuracy
OEM or field installable/re-calibratable
Very robust, high vibration capability
Up to 25g RMS, resonant frequency found and held for 1 hour!

IP69K unmated connectors!

www.rota-ltd.com

48 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 SPONSORED CONTENT

ROTOR CLIP
187 Davidson Ave
Somerset, NJ 08873
Phone: 732-469-7333
Email: info@rotorclip.com
https://www.rotorclip.com/

About Our Company Target Markets

Rotor Clip is a leading manufacturer and supplier of stan- Rotor Clip serves every industry with a focus on automo-
dard and custom retaining rings, wave springs, and hose tive, aerospace, medical, and industrial.
clamps. We’re committed to producing high-quality, reli-
able parts that meet your exact application needs. With Products/Services Offered
over 20,000 standard parts and custom capabilities, we
provide Application Driven Solutions® for every industry. Rotor Clip is the only manufacturer of every retaining ring
Our engineers work closely with you from prototype to style (circlips, snap rings, spiral rings). Our rings meet
production, helping you select or engineer the right part, functional, safety, and reliability requirements across a
material, and finish for your application. With manufactur- wide range of industries. Whether standard or custom, we
ing in the US and Europe, and a global network of engi- provide the right ring for your application, every time.
neering, customer service, technical sales, and warehouses, Rotor Clip wave springs (single-turn, multi-turn, nested,
Rotor Clip is ready to support you wherever you are. round-wire, and linear) save space and weight and consis-
tent force over broad deflections. These springs are highly
customizable, providing easy adjustments to wire thick-
ness, wave count, and material cross-section, allowing us
to tailor them to your needs without tooling costs. Rotor
Clip’s self-compensating hose clamps (single-wire, double-
wire, and constant-tension band) are designed for easy
installation and removal while ensuring secure fastening.
These clamps automatically adjust to temperature varia-
tions, maintaining a tight fit throughout. With full in-house
manufacturing and a commitment to providing Application
Driven Solutions®, Rotor Clip is your trusted partner in de-
livering high-quality parts for every need.

https://www.rotorclip.com/

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 49

 SPONSORED CONTENT

SPAL AUTOMOTIVE USA

1731 SE Oralabor Road
Ankeny, IA 50021
Phone: 800-345-0327
E-mail: info@spalusa.com
www.spalusa.com

About Our Company

Founded in 1959, the production facility in Correggio, Italy,
is home to the engineering, research & development, and
manufacturing departments. It features six automated pro-
duction lines, capable of producing over 7 million fans, Target Markets
blowers, and coolant pumps annually.
Our goal is to produce the highest quality products for SPAL products provide extreme reliability, flexibility, dura-
the markets we serve. This is achieved through a constant bility, and performance under the most challenging condi-
focus on research/development as well as by integrating tions in engine/oil/CAC cooling, electronics and battery
all areas of the manufacturing process for 12V, 24V, 48VDC, cooling, HVAC, and other markets.
and 800VDC brushed/brushless axial fans, centrifugal
blowers, and coolant pumps capable of handling the most Products/Services Offered
stringent cooling system requirements in any market and
application. We maintain high standards and believe that SPAL SBL products feature motors sealed to IP68 and
quality, innovation, and service will always remain the cor- IP6K9K standards (waterproof/dustproof & waterjet ca-
nerstones of our history and culture. pable), integrated power and signal electronics, “soft start”
technology (eliminates electrical in-rush spike), digital
control for smooth and reliable operation, reduced axial
dimensions, low weight and high efficiency. SPAL SBL mo-
tors also feature patented “Sine Wave Technologies”, re-
sulting in quieter and smoother running motors that, in
turn, reduce NVH and “felt vibration” levels in electric ve-
hicles. Additionally, the brushless motor design also re-
duces the number of wear components versus standard
brushed technology to deliver extremely long-lasting life.
All SPAL SBL motors are rated to operate in high tempera-
ture conditions, higher than typical DC motors on the mar-
ket today. SPAL SBL technology is specifically designed for
applications where airflow performance, low power con-
sumption, automatic speed control, long motor life, and
high efficiency are key requirements.

www.spalusa.com

50 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 SPONSORED CONTENT

STEEL WAREHOUSE
2722 West Tucker Drive
South Bend, IN 46619
Phone: 800-348-2529
E-mail: https://www.steelwarehouse.com/contact-us
https://www.steelwarehouse.com/

About Our Company

Founded in 1947, Steel Warehouse is consistently ranked
among the top 15 service centers by Metal Center News.
With 16 locations across the U.S., Mexico and Brazil, we
serve a wide range of industries with a focus on quality,
design collaboration and performance. Our team includes Target Markets
in-house metallurgists who collaborate with customers on
material selection, design optimization and problem-solv- Steel Warehouse supports critical markets including agricul-
ing. Additional services such as inventory management, ture, aggregate, construction, heavy equipment, general man-
global logistics and just-in-time (JIT) delivery help stream- ufacturing, mining, truck and trailer, oil and gas, and more.
line operations and reduce costs for our partners.
Products/Services Offered
Steel Warehouse supplies slit coil, sheet and plate in a
wide range of grades, including hot- and cold-rolled steel,
high-strength steels up to Grade 160, high-strength low-
alloy (HSLA) and abrasion-resistant (AR) steels. We are
also the exclusive North American provider of Tata Steel’s
Ympress® and Valast® products. Our processing capabilities
include temper pass and cut-to-length leveling, pickling,
slitting, stretcher leveling, cold reducing, blanking and
shearing. Additional services such as batch annealing,
gauge correction, oscillate winding, edging and beveling
ensure our materials meet the precise requirements of to-
day’s engineering and manufacturing applications.

https://www.steelwarehouse.com/

TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING June 2025 51

 SPONSORED CONTENT

Products/Services Offered
Smalley offers innovative parts to help optimize your prod-
ucts, including our Spirolox® Retaining Rings and Crest-to-
SMALLEY Crest® Wave Springs. Our Wave Springs can save up to 50%
555 Oakwood Road in axial space compared to traditional coil springs, improv-
Lake Zurich, IL 60047 ing both efficiency and performance. We offer over 11,000
Phone: 847-719-5900 standard parts in carbon and stainless steel, but if you can’t
E-mail: info@smalley.com find the right fit,
www.smalley.com don’t worry—our
team of over 30
About Our Company engineers is ready
to provide expert
Smalley is the world leader and inventor of support and create
Spirolox® Retaining Rings and Crest-to-Crest® a custom solution
Wave Springs. With over 100 years of manufactur- with no tooling
ing excellence and 25,000+ applications across charges. Our prod-
automotive, medical, aerospace, and more, engi- ucts are used in
neers worldwide trust our U.S.-made components applications like
for space-saving, high-performance solutions. valves, gears, con-
nectors, clutches,
Target Markets and piston pumps.
Request your free
Application engineer, product engineer, design samples today!
engineer, component engineer, mechanical engi-
neer, purchasing, sourcing, manufacturing, auto-
motive, aerospace, medical, electric mobility, oil and gas. www.smalley.com

ON DEMAND WEBINAR

IS HYDROGEN PROPULSION PRODUCTION-READY?

Available On Demand
Speakers:
Hydrogen internal combustion engines and
hydrogen fuel cells still have challenges to
meet to bring production of commercial
and off-highway vehicles to fruition. This
60-minute webinar from the editors of Truck
& Off-Highway Engineering takes a deep dive Mike Bunce, Sameera Andreas Bodén, Johan Flink
into the technological advancements and Ph.D. Wijeyakulasuriya, Ph.D. Product Owner –
Head of Research Ph.D. Senior Vice Fuel Cell Stacks,
technical challenges yet to be conquered. The and Head of Project Manager, President and PowerCell Group
presentations focus on the readiness level of the Design & Analysis, Convergent Chief Technology
MAHLE Science Officer,
onboard systems and components necessary to Powertrain PowerCell Group
power the next generation of vehicles.
For additional details and to register visit: www.sae.org/webcasts

Sponsored by: Hosted by:

52 June 2025 TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

 YOUR IDEA
COULD UNLOCK
THE FUTURE
ENGINEER THE EXTRAORDINARY
Innovation is the key to progress.
Enter the Create the Future Design
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compete for $50,000 in prizes, and
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Last Chance: Entry Deadline is July 1, 2025

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