MAHLE Powertrain Converts 13-Litre Heavy-Duty Engine to Run on Hydrogen, Matches Diesel Torque
MAHLE Powertrain successfully converted a 13-litre heavy-duty diesel engine to run purely on hydrogen, matching the diesel's maximum torque and achieving very low NOx emissions.
13 litres
<0.2 g/kWh
£9.8 million
What Happened
MAHLE Powertrain has achieved a major milestone in Project Cavendish, successfully converting a 13-litre heavy-duty engine to run purely on hydrogen. The converted engine matched the maximum torque of the diesel baseline, with measured engine-out NOx below 0.2 g/kWh across the entire operating map using existing aftertreatment technology. The results demonstrate that hydrogen combustion engines offer a practical pathway towards zero-carbon heavy-duty transport.
Project Cavendish launched as a £9.8 million programme supported by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) to develop end-to-end hydrogen powertrain capability.
MAHLE Powertrain successfully converts a 13-litre heavy-duty engine to run on hydrogen, matching diesel torque and achieving low NOx emissions.
“This milestone demonstrates that hydrogen combustion has a place as a clean fuel in the heavy-duty market. Achieving the target torque and low raw engine out emissions from a hydrogen fuelled 13-litre heavy-duty engine represents a significant step forward, both for MAHLE Powertrain and for the wider industry, as we move towards practical hydrogen combustion solutions for heavy-duty applications.”
Why this matters
This milestone shows hydrogen combustion engines can be a practical, fast-to-market solution for decarbonizing heavy-duty transport, supporting the UK's net-zero goals.
Terms in This Story
- Hydrogen combustion engine
- An internal combustion engine that burns hydrogen instead of gasoline or diesel, producing only water vapor and minimal nitrogen oxides.
- NOx
- Nitrogen oxides, a group of harmful pollutants formed during combustion; regulations limit their emissions.
- Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)
- An aftertreatment technology that reduces NOx emissions by injecting a urea solution into the exhaust stream.
- Net-zero transport
- A goal to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, often by using zero-carbon fuels or electric powertrains.
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