Cummins recently announced that beginning in 2019, X12 powered motor coaches will be available for delivery from Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a subsidiary of New Flyer Industries, the largest transit bus manufacturer and parts distributor in North America.
“Over the years of working with MCI, we’ve learned that coach customers expect their engines to provide the power they need in the lightest, smallest, most fuel efficient package that keeps them on the road,“ said Laura Chasse, general manager of Cummins North America Bus Engine Business.
Cummins X12 has an engine weight of 2,150 pounds and delivers up to 455 horsepower resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 0.21 horsepower per pound.
Derived from the X15 engine, the XPI fuel system is scaled down in size for the 12-liter platform, but retains all the same characteristics. Along with the XPI fuel system, the Variable Geometry Turbocharger is central to the X12 engine architecture.
The X12 uses the latest Single Module aftertreatment system, which takes up to 60 percent less space and weighs up to 40 percent less than prior aftertreatment configurations. Combined engine and aftertreatment weight for the X12 is around 2,340 pounds.
“We are always looking for ways to improve the service and maintenance efficiency for technicians,“ said Patrick Scully, MCI’s executive VP of sales and marketing. “Validation work for the new engine has been underway since 2017 and will continue through to product launch in 2019, but by providing the latest technologies and the lightest heavy-duty engine in its class, we expect our customers to experience the lowest total cost of ownership with MCI coaches.”
“We are excited about the value Cummins and Motor Coach Industries will bring to the market with the next-generation X12. Built around improved uptime, fuel economy and providing a class-leading power-to-weight ratio, this really is an engine that is worth its weight,” said Chasse.
The X12 will be available in J4500, D-Series, Commuter Coach, and Inmate Speciality Coaches starting in 2019.