All options on the table

Powertrain developers who spoke at SAE COMVEC are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to trim emissions.

The push to trim engine emissions is prompting industry-wide efforts to use substitutes for diesel fuel. Alternative fuels and electrified powertrains are making significant inroads, though design teams for diesel power aren't conceding the future.

A number of paths for fueling the future were recently examined by a range of panelists at SAE COMVEC Technology Connection in Indianapolis. Alternative fuels including gasoline and natural gas will provide short-term solutions, while electrified powertrains make headway in more applications.