Cummins Unveils 2017 Truck Diesels

At a weekend press event at the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, Ohio, Cummins unveiled its next-generation heavy-duty on-highway truck diesels for 2017. The new X Series 15 and 12 L engines covering ratings from 350 hp to 605 hp and the company said they build on the current heavy-duty engines,with new names reflecting the evolution and introduction of product platforms engineered to meet Phase 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) and fuel efficiency standards scheduled to be fully implemented in 2017.

The flagship X15 diesel is available in two configurations. The X15 Performance Series, rated 485 hp to 605 hp with up to 2050 lb. ft. of torque, targets power-intense heavy-haul, vocational and emergency vehicle applications. For linehaul and regional haul applications, the X15 Efficiency Series is available in 400 to 500 hp ratings, with up to 1850 lb.ft. of peak torque available at 1000 rpm. When integrated with the Cummins and Eaton SmartAdvantage Powertrain, Cummins said the Efficiency Series delivers class-leading fuel economy by precisely adjusting to grade, vehicle weight and driver input via throttle position.

“While today’s ISX15 is a highly popular engine, we are constantly searching for ways to improve our products,” said Amy Boerger, Cummins Vice President – North American Engine Business. “So we examined every critical component and system to see how it could be upgraded or improved. That makes the X15 a reinvented platform for 2017 able to deliver the best performance and dependability in the industry.”

The new X12 diesel targets regional-haul, intracity delivery and vocational trucks and it has, Cummins said, the highest power-to-weight ratio of any engine in the 10 to 16 L class.

Rated up to 475 hp with as much as 1700 lb.ft. peak torque at 1000 rpm — which remains available to over 1400 rpm — the architecture of the X12 results in an engine weight of 2050 lb. which the company said is significantly lighter than competitive engines.

“During the design process for the X12, we evaluated every opportunity to reduce size and lower weight, but importantly, we achieved this with no compromise to structural strength, so that our next-generation 12 L comes with all the durability associated with a Cummins Heavy-Duty engine,” commented Jim Fier, Cummins vice president – Engineering.

All three engines will be manufactured at the Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant in western New York.

More details will be available in an upcoming issue of Diesel Progress.