Navistar & Cummins to Share Technology Grant

[DriVer]

Navistar, Cummins to share in $187 million grant

Greg Gerber posted on January 11, 2010 08:32 Source: RVD@aily Digest

WASHINGTON – Navistar and Cummins are among nine companies that will share in a $187 million grant package to develop technology that will make trucks and cars use less fuel, the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette reports today.

Three projects, including the work at Navistar and Cummins, will focus on improving the efficiency of long-haul freight trucks by 50 percent. According to the Journal-Gazette, these projects will receive more than $115 million to develop and demonstrate systems-level fuel efficiency technologies by 2015, including improved aerodynamics, reducing engine idling technologies, recovering waste heat to increase engine efficiency, advanced combustion techniques and powertrain hybridization.

The paper noted that the firms told Obama administration officials the grants will create more than 500 jobs and will be matched with a 50 percent research investment. The jobs are likely to be for researchers, engineers and managers, according to the Journal-Gazette.

To read the complete story in the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, click here.

[mfire1339]

Just put them on rail cars. Ok so where do I get paid?

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfire1339 Just put them on rail cars.

You know, that's so true. Freight can be moved by rail much more cheaply than by road. Obviously freight is still going to have to be moved by truck once it gets from point A to B unless the destination has a rail yard or siding.

Aerodynamics plays a big role in achieving MPG improvements. According to Navistar they state that they have the slickest or most aerodynamically designed truck cab on the market.

Research along these lines needs to be encouraged and using less fuel should be our national strategy. Disengaging us from the dependence on foreign fuel from people that would be our adversary is in our strategic interest.

As this research moves forward I don't expect that anyone is looking for a winner however whatever works best and proves itself to be "the method" should be shared among all the participants.

SCR & ERG is already intertwined and maximizing that strategy to our advantage in the years to come is in our best interests and its what we need to do.

When the grant is expired and those 500 jobs conclude all those folks might be back to square 1. I hope that something will come of the research that will ultimately create those 500 jobs and more.