Achates Power has been awarded a $5 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2020 for a new two-cylinder prototype demonstration, and concept design of a next generation medium-duty commercial vehicle opposed-piston engine.

This new project will create and test designs that increase fuel efficiency and minimize the criteria emissions from Class 3-6 engines, with a particular emphasis on two- and four-cylinder opposed-piston engine variants. Design and calibration improvements will use a common power cylinder configuration across several different engine variants in order to enable a cost-effective broad range of power and torque capability for an efficient family of engines.

Achates Power will work with Isuzu Technical Center of America, Clemson University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison as project members. Clemson will undertake engine simulation, open-cycle computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and analysis, and modelbased calibration, and will test a two-cylinder opposed-piston engine. The University of Wisconsin will contribute closed-cycle CFD to optimize clean, efficient combustion. ITCA will provide vehicle and engine requirements and benchmark information.

The award is part of the DOE’s sustainable transportation initiatives which focus on improving the energy efficiency, convenience, and affordability of transporting people and goods in a clean and sustainable manner.

In December 2020, Achates Power announced its 10.6L heavy-duty commercial vehicle project, funded by the California Air Resources Board, had achieved both the ULNOX and CO₂ reduction milestones, and vehicle integration was proceeding. Demonstration vehicles will be on the road in 2021 in a commercial fleet application. More info on this project can be found here.