At Bauma 2019, Project TETRA (the methane-powered wheel loader concept from Case) certainly turned a few heads. And under the hood is a natural gas engine developed by FPT Industrial.
With the Project TETRA announcement, FPT Industrial reinforced its commitment to develop sustainable solutions specifically adapted to off-road applications.
The new wheel loader concept, dubbed Project TETRA, is the first natural gas machine from Case Construction Equipment and is powered by a 6-cylinder NG engine from FPT Industrial’s NEF family.
The power unit delivers up to 230 hp and torque up to 1,184 Nm, has diesel-like performance, but with a smoother and quieter drive, according to FPT Industrial. It also offers the same reliability, durability and fuel savings up to 30 per cent.
The engine runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), ensuring 15 per cent less carbon dioxide and 99 per cent less particulate matter than its diesel-based counterpart.
The NEF engine uses stoichiometric technology, which ensures the correct chemical balance between air and methane in every working condition, delivering clean combustion and low emissions.
The technology is enabled by FPT Industrial’s proprietary control strategy, specific piston design and multi-point injection.
Optimized combustion improves engine efficiency, leading to running cost savings of 10 per cent to 30 per cent compared to diesel.
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The highly stable spark-ignited combustion system also reduces vibration and engine noise up to 5 dB in comparison with conventional diesel engines, representing a 50 per cent reduction in drive-by noise.
Project TETRA is designed to benefit waste management companies and construction contractors, both of which a competitive carbon footprint is becoming increasingly important in winning and retaining contracts.
Thanks to the FPT Industrial Natural Gas engine, the Case wheel loader concept can operate in regulated urban or indoor environments without the need for expensive ventilation equipment.
FPT Industrial is at the forefront of the development of Natural Gas engines for the on-road market, with more than 20 years of experience and with more than 40,000 units installed in vans, buses and trucks.
The company’s expertise allowed it to take natural gas to a higher level, delivering the same performance as diesel, while providing a sustainable solution, with emissions well below regulations for on-road and off-road applications.
FPT Industrial offers the most complete natural gas engine line-up on the market for industrial applications, with power ranges from 136 hp to 460 hp. Its engines are capable of running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Biomethane, the latter can reduce carbon dioxide emission levels close to zero.
Besides powering light commercial vehicles for urban missions, long haul trucks and intercity buses, FPT Industrial introduced natural gas to the agriculture segment in 2013 with the New Holland Agriculture methane tractor prototype.
