Advanced Diesel Internal Combustion Engines

The document examines how U.S. government-led research, simulation tools, and public-private partnerships between 1981 and 2011 drove significant improvements in diesel engine efficiency and emissions. It highlights the economic benefits of these investments, noting that less than $1 billion in funding generated over $70 billion in economic returns, while reducing heavy-duty truck emissions and increasing fuel economy.

• Government-supported research led to a measurable increase in the efficiency of heavy-duty diesel trucks, rising from 37% in 1981 to 42% in 2007. Additionally, truck fuel economy improved from 5.4 miles per gallon in 1981 to 6.4 miles per gallon in 2010.
• Between 1990 and 2009, the U.S. heavy truck fleet saw dramatic reductions in per-mile emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides, with declines ranging from 67% to 81%.
• The U.S. government's investment in the Combustion Research Facility (CRF) and the Advanced Combustion Engine R&D (ACE R&D) programs between 1986 and 2007 yielded a high return on investment, with less than $931 million in inflation-adjusted funding generating over $70.2 billion in economic benefits.
• The development of government-funded simulation tools, specifically the KIVA codes and the Cross-Cut Lean Exhaust Emissions Reduction Simulation (CLEERS), allowed private manufacturers to reduce development costs and meet EPA standards more quickly. For example, Cummins used KIVA software to reduce development time and cost for its 2007 ISB 6.7-L engine by 10–15%.
• The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) coordinated several major public-private partnerships to accelerate vehicle efficiency and energy security, including the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (1993), the 21st Century Truck Partnership (2000), the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership (2002), and US Drive (2011).
• The DOE has set specific efficiency goals for 2015, aiming to increase the efficiency of diesel-powered passenger vehicles to 45% and commercial vehicles to 50%.

APA

Rissman, J., & Kennan, H. (n.d.). Advanced Diesel Internal Combustion Engines. Energy Innovation. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/diesel-engines-case-study.pdf

Chicago

Rissman, Jeffrey, and Hallie Kennan. Advanced Diesel Internal Combustion Engines. Energy Innovation, n.d. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/diesel-engines-case-study.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rissman |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Kennan |first2=Hallie |title=Advanced Diesel Internal Combustion Engines |publisher=Energy Innovation |url=https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/diesel-engines-case-study.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rissmanndadvanced, author = {Rissman, Jeffrey and Kennan, Hallie}, title = {{Advanced Diesel Internal Combustion Engines}}, institution = {Energy Innovation}, url = {https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/diesel-engines-case-study.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }