The accomplishment was recognized by TÜV SÜD, an internationally respected testing organization, and the China Automotive Technology & Research Center, a specialized testing entity for Chinese internal combustion engines.

Leading efficiency innovation

The percentage of diesel combustion energy transferred into useful engine output work without needing a waste heat recovery mechanism is known as the base engine’s thermal efficiency. The engine’s economy improves with the base engine’s increased thermal efficiency.

Weichai Power achieved a noteworthy milestone in this regard on September 16, 2020, when it unveiled a diesel engine that set a new record with a body thermal efficiency of 50.23 percent.

On January 8, 2022, the business made even more progress, raising the engine’s thermal efficiency to 51.09 percent. The company most recently achieved 52.28 percent thermal efficiency on November 20, 2022, surpassing its prior records.

The firm compared to mainstream products, which typically achieve an average thermal efficiency of 46 percent for diesel engines on the market. Deploying thermal efficiency technology in base engines with a 52.28 percent thermal efficiency can lead to a significant 12 percent reduction in both fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Fine-tuning existing technologies

Weichai Power’s research team built on its prior successes by investing over 500 days of concentrated effort into optimizing four vital systems: fuel supply, air intake, combustion, and friction reduction.

The team effectively advanced high-expansion combustion, mixed-flow pressurization, high-efficiency fuel injection, and low-resistance friction-reducing technologies.

A significant milestone was reached due to these advancements, which were attained by little advances of 0.1 percent at a time. The attempt lead to the engine breaking through the 53 percent thermal efficiency barrier for the first time globally. Researchers claim the achievement is comparable to a human running a 100-meter race in under nine seconds.

During this research and development phase, the group received 176 invention patents and 68 utility model patents.

Decreased fuel consumption

Upgrading from a thermal efficiency level of 45–46 percent to 53 percent can increase a diesel engine’s economy by about 14 percent. This figure is based on current estimates of diesel engine ownership in China.

This innovation results in yearly fuel savings of about 31 million tons and a decrease in carbon emissions of 97 million tons.

A heavy-duty tractor with a yearly mileage of 155,342 miles (250,000 kilometers) can save about 12,000 gallons of diesel fuel thanks to this technology. This results in an annual savings of almost $13,529 (98,000 yuan) for the owner, given the market price of diesel fuel at $1.08 (7.8 yuan) per liter.

According to the team, this technical breakthrough will benefit not only transportation but also other industries, such as construction machinery, agricultural equipment, ships, and power generation equipment, among others, adding new benefits.