There’s a fascinating new term in the world of internal combustion engines: fuel-agnostic. So what does it mean? Let’s find out
For the past several months or so, we’ve seen an intriguing but slightly bewildering new term making the rounds in the internal combustion industry: “fuel-agnostic.” Up until now, we’ve never considered that engines might have any theological opinions either way.
But it turns out that this attention-grabbing phrase, recently popularized by Cummins, Inc, an industry leader in diesel engines, has nothing to do with religious beliefs. It simply means an engine that doesn’t “care,” so to speak, about the kind of fuel it uses—one that can be adapted to a number of different fuels at relatively low cost.
At Cummins, the fuel-agnostic concept refers specifically to low-carbon and zero-carbon fuels: hydrogen, natural gas, propane, clean diesel, and so on. In a fuel-agnostic engine family, the siblings are all essentially identical in their lower ends—from the head gasket down. From the head gasket up, the engine upper ends, including cylinder heads and manifolding, are optimized for their specific fuel type.
Three Cummins diesel engine lines using the fuel-agnostic principle are illustrated below, along with the fuels they can accommodate. Obviously, this approach gives the engine manufacturer maximum flexibility in adapting to various zero-and-low-carbon fuels as they emerge and evolve in the marketplace. It means maximum flexibility for the engine supplier’s customers, too, allowing them to preserve their investments in engines and platforms for as long as possible. As electric vehicles move into the commercial truck space now dominated by diesel engines, this could represent the final phase of development—the internal combustion end game, if you will.
“the internal combustion end game, if you will.”
I suspect the ICE will be around a lot longer than many hope for. Given the limitations of current battery storage capability’s, the investment that will be needed to upgrade the electrical grid (see Texas today) and the cost to buy even the cheapest new electric vehicles it’s not feasible for many of us. I have to tow a 15K trailer at least twice a month,,often times more,usually at least 100 miles. If you only commute a few miles for your work/errands it’s feasible. For many of us, not so much.
Cummins is hoping to prolong the ICE era as long as it can.
I agree Mr McGee. I can see a mixture of vehicles, EV for those that want them, and ICE for the rest of us for many years to come. Cummins also sees that future and is preparing for it. Electric trucks may work in city/ short haul, but ICE will still be king for over the road freight.
It’s a good idea, especially for Hydrogen.
Frankly the EV surge is taking us by storm. I picked up a pizza this afternoon and a new Jaguar I-Pace EV pulled up alongside me. In NJ, I see Teslas, many of them, every day when driving. They aren’t going to slow down. There is no maintenanc with them, no engine, no tranmissioun, to emissiouns. no radiator, no differnetial on rear 2 motor models, etc.
You know anything about batteries jackass?
I’m surprised that so many of my of ICE loving friends have so little faith in capitalism and markets. The Grid will adapt as the need is created, just like petroleum fuel became available when the market was created.