LOUISVILLE -- Cummins will have its new 2013 engine line up at this year's Mid-America Trucking show, boasting 2% better fuel economy, along with some new gearing recommendations to increase fuel economy and lower operating costs.

Cummins says its 2013 on-highway engines will deliver up to 2% better fuel economy compared with the 2012 model-year engines. On top of that, the Columbus, Ind.-based engine makers says all of its engines meet EPA's 2014 greenhouse gas  and fuel efficiency rules one full year ahead of the requirement.

"Last year at Mid-America we made some promises, and this year I'm telling you, we've kept them," says Steve Charlton, vice president and chief technical officer, Engine Business. "We were certified in the fall of last year, not only to emissions and on-board diagnostics, but we are a year early on the greenhouse gas regulations."

Announced last week at the TMC press event, two new SmartTorque ratings are available, designed to meet the needs of fuel-conscious fleets. They deliver up to 200 pounds-feet of extra torque in the top two gears. New SmartTorque2 ratings, delivering 3% to 6% better fuel economy when matched with the new Eaton Fuller Advantage automated transmission, will be available in the fall of 2013.

Cummins has also made some changes to current gearing recommendations that will see ISX15 engines cruising at 65 mph while turning 1,170 or 1,270 rpm, depending on the application.  

"We're now allowing the engine to operate in the 1,200-1,300 rpm range in heavy duty," says Charlton. "Three or four years ago, we were running at 1,450 or 1,500 rpm. Dropping the engine speed, or downspeeding, is a key lever for attaining these tough fuel economy goals."

Fuel economy is improved through the use of downspeeding, which allows the ISX15 and ISX12 to achieve peak torque at 100 fewer rpm.

Now approved with the 2013 is the use of low-viscosity 10W-30 oils.

"We're offering the option to use low-viscosity 10W-30 oils, which bring with them some fuel economy advantages," says Charlton. "Overall, that's delivering 2% better fuel economy, engine only."

Low-soot combustion is another feature customers have been looking for. Cummins says it has driven down the soot levels coming out of the cylinder, which is easing the soot loading the DPF. "That's allowed us run almost 100% passive regeneration, which is good operational efficiency as well as fuel economy," Charlton says.  

On the MidRange side for 2013, the ISL9 and the ISB6.7 come equipped with NanoNet fuel filters from Cummins Filtration. This two-stage fuel filter exceeds 99.6 percent filtration efficiency, offering double the contaminant holding capacity and providing approximately 10 times better protection of the engine’s fuel system.

“Cummins and Cummins Westport offer the industry’s broadest product line of both clean-diesel and natural gas engines to meet the needs of our customers,” said Jeff Jones, Cummins vice president, North American Engine Business. “Cummins is committed to deliver better where it counts – better on the road, at the fuel pump, in the used truck market and better for the customer’s bottom line.”

On the show floor, Cummins will display its clean diesel ISX15, ISX12, ISL9 and ISB6.7, as well as the Cummins Westport ISX12 G and ISL G natural gas engines.