Caterpillar will launch a hydrogen-hybrid project featuring its newest engine, the Cat 13D, in the first quarter of 2024.
Throughout the three-year program, which is partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Cat plans to develop a hydrogen-fuel system for off-highway machinery that can match and even exceed the performance of diesel engines. The project is intended to demonstrate state-of-the-art control systems and electric-hybrid components for hydrogen-fueled engines.
As the prime contractor on the project, Caterpillar will provide engine research and development, as well as system integration. Additional industry and academic collaborators will be brought into the program to provide specialist expertise.
The initiative will be delivered at Caterpillar facilities in Chillicothe, Illinois, and San Antonio, Texas. It is among 45 projects across 18 states and Washington, D.C., receiving funding to advance research, development, demonstration, and deployment in several areas critical to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector.
"Every off-highway application has its own unique duty cycles, lifecycle demands, and performance expectations, and this complexity is driving the development of a wide range of power solutions for the energy transition," said Steve Ferguson, senior vice president of Caterpillar Industrial Power Systems. "One size does not fit all, which is why we've engineered flexibility into the C13D engine to serve as our platform of the future."
Unveiled at ConExpo 2023 the Cat C13D platform provides an opportunity for OEMs to downsize the engine and simplify design, assembly, and supply chain requirements across multiple applications by supplying comparable power and torque available from Caterpillar's current 13-, 15- and single-turbo 18-liter engine platforms, this consolidation can also reduce maintenance, parts, and technical training complexity for end users.
The 6-cylinder Cat C13D engine platform offers eight power ratings from 456 to 690 horsepower and delivers up to 3,200 Newton meters of peak torque.
By design, the Cat C13D supports a variety of renewable fuel options in addition to hydrogen and natural gas. The engine is also capable of operating on 100% hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), B100 distilled biodiesel, and even up to B100 standard biodiesel.
The engine will be available for early OEM pilots in 2025 and scheduled for production in 2026. It is designed for equipment such as rock crushers, screeners, and grinders; trenchers; agriculture tractors, harvesters, and self-propelled sprayers; woodchippers; material-handling equipment; and large industrial pumps.
