Perkins is collaborating with Loughborough University and Equipmake to develop and produce an advanced multi-fuel ‘drop-in’ hybrid integrated power unit.
The power unit will help off-highway original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) – both large scale and those with limited resources – address the energy transition.
It will be able to directly replace its diesel equivalent in terms of power density and response, enabling a wide range of OEMs, regardless of their size or the application they manufacture, to accelerate their transition to lower-carbon intensity or zero-carbon fuels, and harness electrification.
The design will support several fuel types with the initial demonstration utilising hydrogen.
Supported by UK Government funding of £11.14M through the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), Project Coeus will develop a 7-litre Perkins® 1200 Series industrial power unit with hybrid-electric components and advanced controls to enable operation on hydrogen fuel. The 45-250 kW hybrid powertrain system will be configured with factory-installed ECM sensors, radiators, cooling packs, filtration, control systems and aftertreatment hardware in a complete, integrated package that minimises OEM development timelines and reduces engineering and assembly costs.
Launching this month, the three-and-a-half-year project will be led by Perkins’ global engineering headquarters in Peterborough, UK, with Equipmake providing epowertrain technology and Loughborough University supporting through advanced engine analytics and emissions control.
Project Coeus will see the design, development and manufacture of a multi-fuel ‘drop-in’ hybrid powertrain, which directly replaces existing diesel solutions in off-highway machines and will support the UK and global off-highway industries to deliver reduced greenhouse gas emissions.