NASHVILLE. At the 2015 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) annual meeting this week, engine maker Cummins Inc. and component supplier Eaton Corp. plan to unveil a combination medium-duty powertrain that will be similar to their joint SmartAdvantage powertrain in July this year – linking a Cummins ISB 6.7-liter diesel with Eaton’s new Procision medium-duty automated manual transmission (AMT).
Ryan Trzybinski said that combination should provide a fuel economy savings of 8% to 10% compared to a medium-duty powertrain featuring a torque-converter automatic transmission.
“We recognize how much cost is associated with fuel, even with today’s low diesel prices,” noted Mike Taylor, global powertrain director for Cummins. “Some 30% of a typical commercial vehicles cost is associated directly with fuel expenses.”
As a result, Taylor said Cummins and Eaton will “continue to look for both practical and innovative” ways to save fuel for commercial fleets, with their joint SmartAdvantage package for heavy-duty trucks “the shining example” of how to do that.
“It’s helping us get to higher and higher levels of both fuel savings and vehicle performance,” he said. “By working together our combined [service] networks allow us to put more eyes and ears on the road, giving us both an opportunity for greater feedback.”
