Pune, March 7: Kirloskar Oil Engine Ltd (KOEL) has introduced a new range of eco-friendly engines which meet the pollution norms of the US called US Tier I for off highway vehicles. The R1040 series is expected to replace the older RB series of engines in around a year's time. The new product line will enable the company to aggressively launch export initiatives, KOEL chairman and managing director Atul Kirloskar said.The company is at present manufacturing 400 engines per month. These new engines have a longer life of around 8,000 hours between overhauls compared to the existing 5,000 hours. Fuel consumption is lower by almost 15 per cent while cost of the engine per bhp has been maintained at the existing level.
These engines have application in the road making machinery, excavators, tractors and generating sets. KOEL is the largest provider of engines to the road making machinery category. With tractor manufacturers keen on exporting wanting to move to the higher HP category tractors there was a demand for these new engines which was designed and developed inhouse by KOEL. Punjab Tractors Ltd would be among the main customers. This comes under the medium engines strategic business unit where the company has been facing fierce competition and the product was lagging in technology and quality. Sales growth has been only around 4.5 per cent. The new version is the company's respond to these challenges.
The R1040 The engines are available in four and three cylinder versions. The company is now working on a six cylinder prototype. The new version will be introduced by September 2000. This engine would be mostly of the industrial and construction segment. The company is looking into more vehicular applications and is talking to OEMs in India for introducing this series of engines for the commercial vehicle segment, Kirloskar said.
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