COLUMBUS, IN, OCT. 3rd. Earlier today, Cummins Inc.unveiled its ISV5.0, a new 5-liter V8 diesel that extends the engine maker’s range to cover various North American commercial light- and medium-duty vehicle applications, up through Class 5 GVW ratings, with a powerplant that the company said is engineered to “deliver performance and a low total cost of ownership” for buyers.
Cummins said the ISV5.0 will be aimed at customers in the U.S. and Canada and will be certified to the near-zero NOx and PM emissions levels required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the engine maker, at launch— slated for the 4th quarter of next year— the engine will also meet federal greenhouse gas (GHG) requirements through 2016 as well as 2015 Air Resources Board (ARB) standards, including on-board diagnostics.
Applications for the new engine will include step vans and medium-duty trucks as well as school buses and Class A RVs that had typically been spec’ed with gasoline-fueled engines.
“Cummins ISV5.0 creates new opportunities for our OEM customers as a compact and lightweight engine that delivers best-in-class fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership,” stated Dave Crompton, vp & gm--- Engine Business, at a media roll-out here..
“Many of our [OEM] customers have asked for a Cummins alternative for gasoline or other small-displacement automotive diesel engines,” he continued. “The ISV5.0 represents the next dimension in fuel economy and performance as Cummins continues to broaden our on-highway product line.”
Crompton said the engine has been designed to easily fit where a comparable V8 or V10 gasoline engine was previously installed.
He explained that multiple front-end accessory drive options handle the common automotive accessories required by a wide spectrum of applications, including the alternator, air compressor, A/C compressor and hydraulic pump. Crompton noted that these available options “coupled with Cummins integration expertise minimize OEM engineering time and vehicle retooling costs. Together, the OEM and Cummins complete a rigorous installation quality assessment, ensuring that the highest-quality product is delivered to our mutual customers.”
A key design goal for the ISV5.0 was to deliver “maximum durability in a lightweight package” as well as to ensure “excellent” excellent noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics.
To provide that durability, the engine boasts a compacted graphite iron (CGI) cylinder block, forged steel crankshaft, high-strength aluminum alloy heads and composite valve covers. Per Cummins, those features along with dual overhead camshaft, contribute to the engine’s MVH performance.
Crompton also pointed out that high-injection pressures from the latest Bosch High Pressure Common Rail (HPCR) fuel system and piezo fuel injectors provide precise fuel control for optimized in-cylinder combustion. He said that leads to better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
In addition, according to Cummins, with multiple injection events driven by integrated electronic controls, the HPCR fuel system along with the Cummins VGT Variable Geometry Turbocharger “contributes to a very impressive peak torque of 560 lb-ft and quick throttle response. Ratings from 200 to 275 horsepower will be available.
“This engine delivers torque where you live vs. what is capable from a gasoline engine,” pointed out Mike Taylor, director—custom engineering. “The result is lower engine speeds, which males driving less tiring and more productive for the operator. And the ISV5.0 provides a lower total cost of ownership due to its better fuel efficiency [vs. a gasoline engine] and its [expected] higher resale value.”
Per Cummins, other key features of the ISV5.0 include:
- An advanced ceramic glow plug system for us in cold weather that significantly reduces start time and electrical current draw, reducing vehicle charging system requirements. The ceramic glow plugs are designed to last the life of the engine, with no maintenance.
- A two-stage fuel filter system that features the latest NanoNet media from Cummins Filtration to ensure that the HPCR fuel system is fully protected against fuel contamination. NanoNet's unique construction provides lower fuel-flow restriction and traps greater than 99% of all particles as small as 4 microns.
- A high-efficiency coalescing filter for eliminating crankcase hydrocarbon emissions and oil mist, further adding to the clean-engine credentials of the ISV5.0.
- Proven air handling and emissions control technology that draws on Cummins extensive emissions technology expertise. Cummins VGT Turbocharger, cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and Cummins Emission Solutions Aftertreatment System, featuring a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), result in near-zero oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions while delivering better performance and fuel economy.
“Cummins has integrated the latest technologies in the ISV5.0 to deliver performance, fuel efficiency and durability in a highly sociable package,” remarkedJim Katzenmeyer, executive engineer – V8 Program. “Every day, drivers will appreciate the smooth, quiet operation of the ISV5.0
“In addition,” he continued, “the fuel savings offered by the ISV5.0 [compared to gasoline engines] will result in fewer greenhouse gas emissions– a great environmental benefit.”
“The support of this engine will easily be integrated into Cummins distributors and authorized dealer shops, and into customer operations with fleets that are running the broad range of dependable Cummins power,” noted Jeff Jones, vp— North American Engine Business.
As for the sales outlook on an engine that will enter production roughly a year from now, Jeff Caldwell, gm— Pickup Truck Business, told FleetOwner that he “expects that OEMs will all dip a toe in this [the ISV5.0} to offer it. We know that with is engine, we’ll deliver a lower installed cost [for OEMs} and a lower total cost of ownership compared to gasoline engines as well as better NVH performance. And that NVH factor is a big benefit—this engine is quite, a real whisperer.”
The ISV5.0, along with the recently announced Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel for pickup trucks, will be manufactured at the company’s Columbus (IN) Engine Plant (CEP). This cosumer-oriented version of the ISV5.0 is being readied to power the "next generation" of the Nissan Titan pickup.
UPDATE: On Oct. 4th, during a drive-through media tour of the CEP production lines dedicated to the two 5-liter diesels, Tyler LaSell, assembly business leader, told FleetOwner that the automotive (Titan) and commercial-vehicle versions of the powerplants will have parts "commonality of 80 to 90%."
However, he added that, due to truck and bus OEM requirements, there eventually will be "numerous variants"-- some 24 at last count-- of the ISV5.0 built at the plant.
LaSell also showed the journalists around the dedicated Light- Duty Technical Center on site at CEP, which is literally steps away from the prdouction line.
"This center was built in 2006 specifically for this [5.0-liter] engine line and it includes eight 'hot' test cells for durability testing," he advised. "Having it sited within the plant is allowing our product-development and manufacturing engineers to work together to head off quality issues at product launch."
Later, while wrapping up the media event, Cummins' Jeff Jones observed that the roll-out of the ISV5.0 light/medium-duty diesel amounts to nothing less than a "landmark event for us."
