Q&A

The powertrain landscape of the future is sure to be a mix that includes clean diesel engines and other ICE options running alternative fuels. Zero-emissions technology such as battery-electric also will play a greater role in certain applications - despite the policy headwinds it currently faces in the U.S. “Eventually we have to decarbonize the heavy-duty industry,” Thomas Howell, segment lead for conventional powertrain, AVL in the U.S., told Truck & Off-Highway Engineering.

A promising “best of both worlds” technology could be hybrid-electric. But as with BEVs, its impact will depend greatly on finding the right applications for it, Howell said. Read on for more of his thoughts on the hybridization of commercial vehicles.