A major new addition to the diesel pickup truck stable was introduced this morning as Nissan unveiled its new 2016 Nissan Titan powered by a Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine during the opening day of this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
“Because of their unmatched combination of efficiency, performance and towing capabilities, diesel engines have long dominated the heavy-duty pickup market,” said Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “The New 2016 Nissan Titan with the Cummins 5.0L V8 turbo diesel will provide a great new option for those who want all the performance and fuel economy benefits of a diesel – but who may not need all the capacity of the largest heavy-duty pickup trucks.”
Schaeffer noted that Cummins is a recognized leader in clean diesel technology in a wide range of applications in heavy-duty pickup trucks, commercial trucks, power generation and construction and industrial equipment. The 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel brings together a compacted graphite iron (CGI) cylinder block, forged steel crankshaft, high-strength aluminum alloy heads, and composite valve covers to offer maximum durability in a lightweight package. These features, along with dual overhead camshafts, also contribute to the excellent noise, vibration and harshness characteristics achieved by the 5.0L V8 turbo diesel.
Nissan announcement increases U.S. passenger vehicle market growth
“Clean diesel cars, trucks and SUVs are growing in popularity in the US. with 47 diesel cars, pickup trucks and passenger vans currently available and 15 more having been officially announced to be introduced in the next two years,” Schaeffer said.
“With increasingly stringent fuel economy requirements that will be mandated in the near future it’s easy to see why manufacturers like Nissan are introducing more clean diesel choices into their line-ups. This new diesel option comes at a time when consumers are showing renewed interest in investing in pickup trucks and SUVs, and the Cummins Diesel V8 will have a lot of appeal in a truck of this size and caliber.”
And while the U.S. diesel passenger vehicle market is considerably smaller than the European diesel market – 3 percent compared to over 50 percent – Schaeffer said the new federal fuel efficiency standards and increased number of clean diesels in the market will significantly improve diesel sales in the U.S. Many analysts predict diesels will increase to 7 to 10 percent of the total U.S. vehicle market by 2020.
Clean Diesel Technology increases efficiency & reduces emissions in new vehicles
“Consumers evaluating diesel as a personal transportation choice will find they don’t have to sacrifice vehicle size or performance to also have fuel efficiency and very low emissions, not to mention a great driving experience,” Schaeffer said. “And consumers can consistently count on diesel engines to exceed the posted fuel economy on the window stickers, not fall short of it.
“Clean diesel technology in today’s vehicles emits near zero levels of emissions. That’s why we call it ‘clean diesel’. And because diesels deliver up to 40 percent better real-world fuel economy, national fuel economy standards for cars and light-duty trucks beginning in 2017 are also expected to be met in part by an increasing number of clean diesel passenger vehicle choices,” Schaeffer said.
“International experts predict that diesel is on course to remain the number one global transportation fuel,” Schaeffer added. “The International Energy Agency recently stated that diesel is expected to overtake gasoline as the top transportation fuel used in passenger vehicles and in the freight transportation sector. One of the largest global oil producers, ExxonMobil, recently confirmed diesel’s expected dominance while also stating the much of the anticipated growth in diesel will come from emerging economies.”
