Scania announces new 13-litre engine

Scania has announced an all-new DOHC, four valve engine that uses SCR only for its after-treatment.

Scania says the new engine platform, with power outputs from 420 to 560hp, offers more uptime, longer service life, less maintenance and reduced weight.

It is the heart of the new powertrain that offers fuel savings of up to eight per cent. Magnus Henrikson, Chief Engineer for Scania’s inline engines, said there are four different engines and two different Opticruise gearboxes to choose from plus new axles and diff ratios that use Scania’s ‘low-rev’ philosophy.

It’s understood that this engine/driveline combination will be first in the Common Base Engine 1 (CBE1) program which is a collaboration between Scania and MAN.

Henrickson has been working cosely with MAN engineer Florian Kraft to develop the CBE1 project. In fact, a team of 120 engineers have been working on the new commercial vehicle engine for several years.

“When so many experienced engineers from two companies work together, help each other, and learn from each other, then there is no other way but to develop a very good engine.” Said Kraft.

The result will be that we will see this engine and drivetrain in many Scania, MAN and even Navistar trucks for the years to come. Indeed, it could take the Traton companies right up to their electric and/or hydrogen target times.

“Developing a new engine platform of this magnitude is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most engine platform engineers,” says Henrikson, who has been heading the five-year development process.

“We in the team were given the task of developing an engine platform based on Scania’s low-rev philosophy, capable of exceeding all coming regulations and dealing successfully with all potential competition for the rest of this decade. In my humble view we have accomplished that goal.”

Developing a new combustion engine platform like this from the ground up means combining a lot of existing knowledge with new ways of solving things. Some targets are a given, such as low weight, but during the development process thousands of minor or major decisions contribute to shaping the final result.

“We knew from the beginning that dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) in combination with four-valve cylinder head technology and SCR only was a requisite,” says Henrikson.

“With the DOHC solution in place, we were able to develop the optional Compression Release Brake system to the expected performance level. And precise valve control from overhead cams is also a must for the advanced Scania Twin-SCR system with dual dosing of urea.”

“There has been no carry-over from the earlier range to the new one; it’s all been revised,” he added.

Scania long-distance trucks have long been renowned for the optional retarder braking system. However, the new engine range comes with Scania’s new Compression Release Brake (CRB) auxiliary brake system as an option. The CRB technology means that many truck combinations will not need a retarder, as long as the topography is not too hilly.

“Retarders will still be needed in tougher operations with higher gross tonnage weights,” says Henrikson. “And I do believe that many of our Scania customers still want to have one on their trucks, regardless of its actual operation. It adds extra safety margins, less maintenance and increased residual value.”

In fact, a truck with the new engine can be equipped with a combination of the traditional exhaust brake (butterfly valve in the exhaust manifold), the new CRB system and a (disengageable) R4700D retarder, creating an auxiliary brake blending system with outstanding capacity for the most demanding operations.

Scania’s successful low-rev philosophy is well-known in the transport industry. A truck that can cruise at just over 900rpm will, in most operations, use less fuel. With the new range, Scania says it is taking this even further. The powertrain is regarded as an integrated unit where the engine, the after-treatment system, the gearbox and the drive axle are working as a team, monitored by management systems with unique processing capabilities.

To that end, Scania is now introducing a new rear axle with fast gearing options; the fastest one is 1.95:1. The truck will normally try to run in 12th gear though, since that is the direct gear and offers the least transmission losses. The OD is only engaged when the conditions are favourable. This also means that the truck will probably do more shifting than some drivers are used to, in order to optimise the fuel savings.

“The introduction of the new Scania Opticruise last year opened up new possibilities for us,” says Henrikson. “It has a wider spread, with a direct 12th gear and a true overdrive gear on top, which means that we are able to lower the engine revs at cruising speed a bit further. In combination with the fast rear axle gearings, fuel savings of eight per cent are possible.”

Obviously, the new engine and transmission will be firstly offered in European markets, but that won’t mean that we’ll have to wait too long to get it.

Unlike the New Truck Generation (NTG) vehicles which took literally years to arrive on our shores, we are reliably informed that markets outside Europe could see the new engines and drivetrains arrive as early as twelve months hence.

We will keep you posted of all developments.