Alan Adler, FreightWaves’ Detroit Bureau chief and expert in all things Motor City, broke the bad news this morning that Navistar, maker of International Trucks and buses, had decided to make the S13 integrated powertrain its final internal combustion engine. The company is moving full speed into the electric vehicle space and will also be retiring the A26 engine when the S13 enters production in late 2023.
Brings back memories of when International stopped making the PowerStroke 7.3
For those who don’t know, I own a ’96 Ford F250 with the 7.3-liter PowerStroke, aka the International T444E diesel engine. It’s a helluva workhorse on the farm. And its big brothers in the over-the-road and vocational trucks are just as dependable.
I’m slightly shocked by the announcement but not too surprised. A lot of the truck manufacturers are being pushed by big government to begin zero-emission programs like battery-electric powertrains.
International makes some of the best short box truck frames and buses out there. Many schools use International buses due to the availability of service providers and ease of daily maintenance.
I expect build slots to fill quickly when the books open in October
October is when the order books open for the new S13-equipped trucks. They will offer an expected 15% fuel efficiency advantage over the first-generation A26 engine and Endurant HD automated transmission. That can add up to about $31,000 over five years in fuel savings.
The S13 can be spec’d with the new in-house-developed T14 automated transmission. Navistar will still offer the 15-liter Cummins X15 with Endurant transmission as well.
The S13 is being built at Navistar’s engine plant in Huntsville, Alabama. That is where Navistar invested $190 million for new engine and component manufacturing.
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