Although more media coverage these days is devoted to electric commercial vehicles, manufacturers continue to unveil more efficient diesel offerings and natural gas engines are still being purchased, according to the recently released N.A. On-highway CV Engine Outlook, by Americas Commercial Transportation (ACT) Research and Rhein Associates.
The N.A. On-highway CV Engine Outlook is designed to present historical trends, current activity and forecasts of engine demand in on-highway commercial vehicles. The report analyzes significant trends in engine displacement, engine type (diesel, gasoline, natural gas, and other), captive versus non-captive engines, and premium versus non-premium power for Class 8 vehicles.
In the past three months, Thor executives detailed their EV efforts, while Kenworth displayed a T680 Class 8 daycab with a hydrogen fuel cell at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
“Telsa and Nikola continue to grab headlines, and Mack garnered a few in the past three months, as well, with their Catenary e-Highway demonstration,” said Tom Rhein, President of Rhein Associates. “That said, EV efforts aren’t the only engine developments making news. OEMs continue to unveil efficiencies in diesel offering also aimed as emission reductions.”
One of the aspects of the N.A. On-highway CV Engine Outlook touted by Rhein is its inclusion of the every-changing regulatory environment.
“We’re paying close attention to EPA regulations as well as those in California,” noted Rhein. He explained, “According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), there are now more than 20 manufacturers offering 60 eligible models of hybrid, low-NOx, and zero-emission trucks and buses. The growing number of product offerings, continually changing requirements, and constantly developing technologies make this a very exciting and very fluid time for the NA commercial vehicle, and particularly the power source, industry.”