BERLIN/BEIJING: The days of the diesel engine are far from numbered, according to a Chinese company that has developed what is billed as the world's most efficient version of the self-ignition motor.
Chinese company Weichai says its innovative diesel unit achieves an overall thermal efficiency of 53.09% - a new world record.
This value was confirmed by the Tüv Süd testing agency North Asia and by the China Automotive Technology Research Centre, a professional testing institute for combustion engines.
The news comes at a time when the shift towards electric mobility has suffered a setback in many quarters amid stalling demand and the loss of subsidies in some countries. Several major car manufacturers, including Volkswagen and Ford, are struggling to sell electric cars.
It is not the first time that Weichai Power has broken the existing record: the world record was broken in 2020 and twice in 2022.
A research department comprising thousands of engineers has been set up for continuous further development, the company says.
Diesel engines are considered to be more efficient than petrol engines since the latter only achieve around 37% from their fuel, according to experts.
Engine research is vital for China, which is making massive investments to reduce pollutant emissions.
In China, diesel engines with a higher efficiency (compared to 45% at present) could save 31 million tonnes of fuel and reduce CO2 emissions by 97 million tonnes per year, the company says, claiming the engine as both less environmentally harmful and cheaper to run.
The research team said a truck with an annual mileage of around 250,000km could save around 12,000 litres of diesel fuel, or an annual saving of several thousand euros/dollars for companies.
