April 16, 2015 
Last month we reported on advanced engine technologies developed by Cummins as part of the Department of Energy’s ATLAS project. Well, we just learned that the 2nd generation of technologies developed through the program are to be unveiled in June and are expected to show even further benefits for clean air, fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions.
Just to give you a refresher on the Advanced Technology Light Automotive Systems (ATLAS) program, the Department of Energy (DOE) received funding back in 2010 to test technologies capable of reducing emissions and improving fuel economy for passenger automobiles. As part of the program, Cummins, one of the largest global engine manufacturers, began testing advanced technologies in a four cylinder diesel engine deployed on a ½ ton pickup.
The latest results show that these technologies beat the Department of Energy’s targets. The suite of technologies deployed by Cummins show fuel economy at 30 miles per gallon, beating the DOE’s target for 26 miles per gallon and the baseline eight cylinder gasoline engine at 18.6 miles per gallon.
Still yet, the Cummins pickup demonstration also beat the DOE’s target for carbon emissions coming in at 336 grams of CO2 per mile compared to the DOE’s target of 385 grams of CO2 per mile and the baseline gasoline powered pickup at 476 grams of CO2 per mile.
What has us excited about the demonstration is that the level of emissions from the four cylinder diesel engine deployed on the ½ ton pickup came at Tier 2 bin 2. For all of you that may not be engine nerds, that is remarkable because this level of emissions from a diesel engine beat the iconic Toyota Prius hybrid coming in at Tier 2 Bin 3.
via Advanced Diesel Technologies are Cleaner than a Prius | Diesel Technology Forum.