Tomorrow’s Construction & Mining Technology Will Be Connected, Electrified & Diesel

Munich, Germany (April 12, 2019)—All manner of future technologies, including the latest advanced diesel technology innovations, have been on display this week at bauma 2019, the latest installment of the world’s largest equipment exposition taking place now in Munich, Germany. The expo highlights the workhorses of the construction, mining and earth-moving industries from the world’s leading equipment and engine manufacturers. 

“The credentials for the future are innovative, automated, efficient, connected and clean, which ensures that advanced diesel technology will continue to play a dominant role in these vital sectors of the global economy,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “Equipment on display in Munich by industry innovators, including AGCO, Bosch, Caterpillar, CNH Industrial, Cummins, John Deere, MTU, Volvo Penta, Yanmar and more, demonstrate diesel’s continued capability to meet the commercial demands of customers along with improved environmental performance that will keep clean diesel in the driver’s seat of the global economy for decades to come.” 

Diesel engines are the technology of choice for powering most of the largest off-road machines and equipment types around the globe, due to the energy density of diesel fuel and the inherent efficiency of the diesel engine to convert this energy into work. Today, 15 sectors of the global economy depend on diesel. 

“This year, bauma is also center stage for the industry showing off the latest generation of clean—the new European Stage V requirements,” said Schaeffer. “These state-of-the-art, advanced technology diesel engines deliver even nearer-to-zero performance, the most stringent the world has ever seen. Even alongside the electric and electrified technologies now in development, clean diesel will still be the dominant power under the hoods of the largest mining trucks, down to the smallest compact machines, for decades to come.” 

Today’s diesel engines incorporate a full range of strategies that enhance performance and meet increasingly stringent global emissions standards. Technologies range from selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and diesel particulate filters (DPFs) to other engine strategies and emissions control technologies, which deliver near-zero black carbon and nitrogen oxide emissions and lower greenhouse gas emissions. 

The year 2019 marks the introduction of the new European standards kicked for new equipment manufactured beginning in January 2019. U.S. Tier 4 standards for heavy-duty, off-road engines came into effect with model-year 2014 vehicles and equipment. China 6 standards come into effect in July 2020. India’s Bharat Stage VI standards will take full effect in 2020, and the phase-in of BSVI-compliant clean fuels began in April 2018. 

“It’s all about doing more work with less fuel, not only on a machine basis but also through integrated and connected site ecosystem,” said Schaeffer. “Engine and equipment manufacturers are innovating to achieve increased productivity and fuel savings for their customers, including, for example, hybrid and energy storage systems, where smaller diesel engines serve as electrical generators to lessen the load and deliver fuel savings and emission reductions.” 

For more information, visit dieselforum.org.