REDFORD, Mich. — As Detroit Diesel observes its 80th anniversary this year, parent company Daimler Trucks North America is marking another important achievement — the production of its 1 millionth heavy-duty engine platform (HDEP) engine.
The 1 millionth HDEP engine is a shared milestone between Detroit’s Redford, Michigan-based manufacturing facility and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz plant in Mannheim, Germany.
Introduced in 2007, HDEP was jointly developed in Germany, Japan and the United States. HDEP engines have 90 percent shared parts worldwide, which has resulted in significant cost savings and uptime efficiencies.
The first HDEP engine launched in North America was the Detroit DD15 engine, which today leads the industry with more than 60 percent market penetration and best-in-class fuel efficiency, according to DTNA officials.
The Detroit DD13 and Detroit DD16 engines were later introduced to meet the needs of additional heavy-duty applications.
“Detroit will continue to leverage the power of Daimler’s global resources to push the envelope with transformative technology and products, so that we can continue to exceed customer expectations in all dimensions,” said Rakesh Aneja, head of powertrain engineering, DTNA. “We are fiercely proud of what we have been able to accomplish in the last 80 years, including the inspirational HDEP success story. Our best, however, is yet to come!”
“We’re proud of the collaboration behind the development of our heavy-duty engine platform, and pleased our customers continue to achieve significant gains in fuel efficiency and productivity with our engines,” Matt Pfaffenbach, head of powertrain opertaions, DTNA. “Throughout our history we have pioneered new products and technological advances by anticipating the demands of our customers, and our newest innovations continue that legacy of achievements in engineering.”
Pfaffenbach said Detroit offers a complete line of heavy-duty diesel engines, transmission, axles, safety systems and connected vehicles services.
Most recently, Detroit began production of the Detroit DD8 engine, complementing the mid-range Detroit DD5 engine and further adding to Detroit’s overall product depth, he said.
The state of Michigan recognized the company’s contribution to the industry and the community by declaring June 14 as Detroit Diesel Corp. Day, and the company will continue to celebrate its anniversary with a series of events throughout the remainder of the year.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
