GM announces B20 compatibility for 2011 Duramax 6.6l turbo diesel engine
The move to official automaker support for higher blends of biodiesel has been a slow one. One important step along the way were the establishment of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for B20 (20 percent biodiesel mixed with 80 percent petro diesel) in the middle of 2008. Last year, General Motors announced that the new 6.6-liter Duramax V8 engine would be factory certified to run on B20 sometime this spring. That time is now.
GM officially announced today at the National Biodiesel Conference that the 2011 Duramax 6.6l turbo diesel engine will be able to accept B20 (more details here). This engine will be used in the 2011 Chevy Silverado, the GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups, the Chevrolet Express and the GMC Savana full-size vans. The Silverado will be unveiled this week at the Chicago Auto Show, so stay tuned for more from the Windy City.
[Source: General Motors]
PRESS RELEASE
General Motors Announces B20 Biofuel Capability for New, 2011 Duramax 6.6l Turbo Diesel
GRAPEVINE, Texas, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- GM announced today that its new lineup of heavy-duty diesel pickups will have B20 biodiesel capability. B20 fuel is a blend of 20-percent biodiesel and 80-percent conventional diesel, which helps lower carbon dioxide emissions and lessens dependence on petroleum. The announcement was made at the National Biodiesel Conference.
GM's new Duramax 6.6L turbo diesel engine has been substantially revised to include B20 capability, as well as meet strict new emissions standards effective this year. The new Duramax will power the redesigned 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups, as well as the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans. Chevrolet will unveil the 2011 Silverado heavy-duty trucks at the Chicago Auto Show on Feb. 10.
"B20 capability in our new heavy-duty trucks is the latest addition to a growing number of alternate fuel options offered by General Motors," said Mike Robinson, vice president, Environment, Energy and Safety Policy. "We are seeking different paths to fuel solutions in order to maximize efficiency, reduce emissions and minimize the dependence on petroleum."
GM already leads in the marketing of FlexFuel vehicles capable of running on E85 ethanol with more than 4 million vehicles on the road today. Like ethanol, biodiesel is a domestically produced, renewable fuel made primarily of plant matter - mostly soybean oil. In pure form, biodiesel lowers carbon dioxide emissions.
"The 2007 federal energy bill mandates increased biodiesel production and more states and municipalities are requiring it," said Robinson. "Biodiesel production is growing and GM is excited and ready to satisfy demand with our new B20 capable Duramax 6.6L engine."
Estimates by National Biodiesel Board indicate about 700 million gallons of the fuel were produced in 2008 - up from about 500,000 gallons in 1999. Market fluctuations caused production to decrease in 2009, but it is expected to rise with more mandates and the availability of approved vehicles, such as the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty trucks.
Validated and approved fuel
Extensive testing and validation was performed on the Duramax 6.6L using B20 that meets ASTM International's standard D7467, which covers biodiesel blends between B6 and B20.
"True biodiesel is created through transesterfication and that's what the Duramax 6.6L is designed to use," said Coleman Jones, GM biofuels implementation manager. "Strict testing and validation was performed to ensure the new engine is B20-capable, however approved biodiesel is the only way to guarantee engine performance and longevity."
The Duramax diesel is covered by GM's five-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.
To make the Duramax 6.6L and its fuel system compatible with B20, GM upgraded some seals and gasket materials to withstand the ester content of biodiesel and included an upgraded fuel filter that includes a coalescing element. It improves the separation of water that may be present in the fuel, because biodiesel can attract and absorb water. Also, additional heating of the fuel circuit was added to reduce the chance of fuel gelling or waxing that could plug filters.
The Duramax 6.6L's diesel particulate regeneration system features a downstream injector that supplies fuel for the regeneration process. This greatly reduces potential oil dilution, important with using biodiesel. Downstream injection saves fuel and works better with B20 than in-cylinder post injection.
About General Motors
General Motors, one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 204,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. General Motors acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation. More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SteveCT 1:33PM (2/08/2010)
For future reference: If "6.6L" is included in the headline, it doesn't belong on AutoBlogGreen, unless the headline also includes the word "greenwashing."
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wincros 2:05PM (2/08/2010)
I have to agree. You would think that instead of selling displacement they would be selling low fuel consumption with a small displacement without significant losses in utility. Did I miss it in all that promotional garbage, but do they not even have direct fuel injection yet? Realistically, that would probably save more oil importation than the occasionally available biodiesel.
mapoftazifosho 2:38PM (2/08/2010)
Would you like your green building materials delivered in the back of your Prius?
We still need big trucks for development and infrastructure. They might as well be more fuel efficient AND use 20% bio-diesel.
Now feel free to bitch about the need for soccer mom's driving around in Suburbans, Expeditions, and Sequoias with nothing more than 2 kids and book bags.
Matt 2:53PM (2/08/2010)
mapoftazifosho: in Europe vehicles capable of delivering significantly more cargo (both volume and weight) have engines with half the displacement. E.g. For Transit 2.2-3l, LDV maxus 2.5l, Fiat Ducato 2.2-3l which gives 2t or 17m^3 capacity. I'd expect that pick up to be able to carry 4t and 34m^3 ... oh wait....
nof60 2:56PM (2/08/2010)
wincros,
Turbo Diesels, even big American ones, have had high pressure direct injection fuel systems for ages (15+ years) now. They don't advertise it because it's nothing to be excited about anymore.
nrb 4:26PM (2/08/2010)
If it burns less fuel and bio-fuel, why do you care how much the displacement is? It's about the amount of work that can be done with a given amount (and kind) of fuel. It's not about shrinking displacement.
What doesn't belong in ABG are these so called supercars.
Dan Frederiksen 2:21AM (2/09/2010)
word. would be good if the journalists here would grow some awareness and spine and paint these things for what they are. that 'truck' just oozes stupid.
and I don't buy the "it's for work" line. we have work here in europe but we use work vehicles for work. enclosed ugly boring vehicles. for personal transport we don't have 'cars and trucks' as us automakers put it. that trucks is a category alongside cars for personal transport is bizarre. I think we have some very few people who use that us type of truck for work but that's like forest rangers and lumbers jacks. where the vehicle is actually fitting. and then we have trailers which cars can easily pull. it's doesn't require a dumbass 5.6L V8.
even our farmers don't use alot of trucks from what I know. they use purpose built farm vehicles in work colors like yellow and green. not polished metal paints.
it's like someone looked at a brokeback mountain retard from texas and figured that's cool, let's all do that : ) and it's not funny. it's tragic
Mike!!ekiM 8:38PM (2/08/2010)
300 HP, 520 foot pounds of Torque.
- Great for hauling a load of plywood, windows, paint and ladders, and lawnmowers, which you could also haul with a prius and a trailer.
Grossly Overbuild Specs for 99% of America.
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nrb 11:21PM (2/08/2010)
"Grossly Overbuild Specs for 99% of America."
99% of American doesn't buy a diesel truck. Most are purchased for commercial use.
Dan Frederiksen 2:26AM (2/09/2010)
why not just ride around in a semi trailer truck. it's probably more fuel efficient and a smaller engine..
that type of vehicle should be illegal
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Wally 8:36AM (2/09/2010)
Dude...just stay on your side of the pond then. Yikes! Ya see...here in NA there's these things called highways (big long straight stretches of boringness you can't even imagine)...and retired people with 39' 5th wheel campers...and this thing called space, as in LOTS of it, so much you can see right through Saskatchewan from Manitoba to Alberta...and no amount of wheezy arse 2.2l Renault Diesel hatchback is gonna pull grandma and grandpa from Manitoba to Texas for 4 months of winter vacation...no matter how hard you try to tell us it will. We don't have the option of driving 14 miles (probably entertaining miles no doubt - about 8 ft wide maybe?) from France to Spain or Italy to our "villa"...we just drag the damn thing along with us and for that...aint nothin' better than a (big honkin') diesel for ease of pulling and gobbling up the miles. Further more...out here, farmers use their trucks like implements. When you have 1, 2 or 3000 acres, the old country's horse cart just doesn't cut it anymore. (funny too...we have quite a few German immigrants in the area recently, and they have no issues buying pickups and the biggest JD tractors soon after arriving...guess that mentallity - small is big enough - gets left behind when they get here and realize how damn big it is...and how useful a pick up really is. Diesel or not.)
Dan Frederiksen 10:05AM (2/09/2010)
there is no side of the pond when it comes to global warming. and you guys are the biggest sinners by far.
and let's say hypothetically grandma and grandpa want a big ass camper then I would be ok with a somewhat bigger engine but maybe a 3 or 3.7liter turbo diesel should be plenty.
and I imagine it's not that many who can afford that anyway but maybe many would use a hypothetical camper as an excuse for their wasteful choice of a truck
John 10:22PM (2/09/2010)
Ah, but a 3.7 diesel does not suffice when that grandma/pa tow a 32ft 11,500lb Airstream trailer cross country. Let alone the tow rating on a vehicle with a 2.7 tdi would be 40% of the trailer's weight give or take.
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