Mahle is working on a camshaft technology that will replace conventional bearings with wear-free roller bearings, the company announced at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany.

Because the roller bearings do not rely on pressurized oil, the burden on the oil circuit is reduced and complex oil channels to the bearing points are no longer required. The associated simplification of the cylinder head design will, in turn, open up new opportunities, such as stop-start applications in commercial vehicles, according to Mahle.

The combination of improved engine components, less friction, and reduced oil requirements based on actual demand can lead to lower fuel consumption and consequently reduced CO2 emissions. For heavy-duty commercial vehicles, Mahle can says it can achieve a reduction of around 3% thanks to optimized oil management and innovative engine components.

Another innovation Mahle introduced at IAA is a map-controlled thermostat for commercial vehicles. These thermostats have already been successfully introduced as a series production application in passenger cars.

They are designed to react fast and operate even at low temperatures. As a result, the thermostats are flexible in any driving situation and can optimally condition the coolant. In systemic interaction with the controlled E-Visco coolant pump and the E-Visco fan, the map-controlled thermostat can reduce fuel consumption and therefore CO2 emissions by 2%, according to Mahle.