Weichai Group, one of the leading heavy truck and component manufacturers in China, launched the world's first commercial diesel engine with a thermal efficiency of 51.09 percent this year in Jinan, capital of Shandong province.

The world's first commercial diesel engine with a thermal efficiency of 51.09 percent is launched by Weichai Group on Jan 8. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Tan Xuguang, chairman of Weichai Group, noted that the improvement of the thermal efficiency is a common pursuit of the global industry since the birth of the diesel engine 125 years ago, and is a symbol of the comprehensive strength of a country's diesel engine technology.

Last year, Weichai launched the world's first commercial diesel engine with a thermal efficiency of 50.23 percent. This year, the company developed a new diesel engine that has a thermal efficiency of 51.09 percent, and is another major advancement of traditional power, said Tan, adding that it is of great strategic significance to promoting energy conservation, emission reduction and green development in the traditional Chinese internal combustion engine industry.

In 2020, the total fuel consumption of China's diesel engine industry was about 160 million metric tons. Compared with the 46 percent thermal efficiency diesel engines, which were the highest level of existing products on the market, Weichai's new diesel engine can reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent respectively, saving 16 million tons of oil annually and 140 billion yuan ($21.97 billion) in costs. Carbon dioxide emissions could also be reduced by 50 million tons per year.

At present, green and low-carbon development has become a global consensus. China has promised to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and the internal combustion engine industry plays an important role in achieving this target, according to industry insiders.

Although it has once again set the world thermal efficiency record, Weichai has not stopped moving forward, and is now working towards the goal of 52 percent of diesel engine thermal efficiency. The company is striving to achieve a target thermal efficiency of 55 percent thermal efficiency for its diesel engines in the near future.