Duramax 3.0 L from General Motors and FEV
Duramax 3.0 L, the new diesel engine for heavy applications Through the new Duramax 3.0 L, General Motors (GM) in collaboration with the FEV decided to develop a diesel engine for heavy applications (light-duty pickups and trucks) that can easily comply with demanding emission limits. Given the purpose, the engine comes together with a high-power […]
Duramax 3.0 L, the new diesel engine for heavy applications
Through the new Duramax 3.0 L, General Motors (GM) in collaboration with the FEV decided to develop a diesel engine for heavy applications (light-duty pickups and trucks) that can easily comply with demanding emission limits. Given the purpose, the engine comes together with a high-power density and a favorable torque curve, which is particularly important for heavy loads.
The new powertrain presents a clean sheet layout and is designed specifically for the full-size GM truck platform. The engine features a peak output of 204 kW and produces 624 Nm of torque. The all-aluminum six-cylinder engine will be installed in the next generation of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pick-up vehicles.
The development targets for the engine were quite ambitious and targeted class leading performance and fuel economy, worldwide emission compliance and superior refinement. The application in a full-size pick-up truck drove additional requirements, during the development, for rapid load response from low engine speeds to support vehicle attributes such as towing capability. These targets posed a major challenge for the engineering teams from GM and FEV.
A combined effort for new design and efficiency
The combination of efforts between the teams of the two companies enabled the completion of the development in a reasonable timeframe. In terms of the inline engine design the focus was on achieving uniqueness in this vehicle segment, which is dominated by V-engine designs. This design helped to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, as it enables a close-coupled exhaust aftertreatment system and minimizes engine friction. These two aspects are key to the achievement of fuel economy with the new Duramax engine, which is combined with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Stefan Pischinger, CEO and President of the FEV Group, said: «The result is something to be proud of. The new Duramax engine fulfills the criteria demanded by customers in an impressive way. At the same time, it has very low fuel consumption values in its market segment and sets new standards. All at a competitive price».
The Duramax 3.0 L diesel engine is currently produced in the new GM plant in Flint, Michigan (US).
