INDUSTRY NEWS & ANALYSIS
dimensions. It will be targeted toward
a range of vocational applications,
and at the launch Cat will show two
dump trucks, a mixer truck, a service/
lube truck and a day cab configuration
with a lowboy trailer.
“We had a 40-year history of providing powertrains to truck customers
around the world and really wanted
to build on that as we move forward,”
said Taylor in a video presentation.
“And we thought it was a logical progression to move from the powertrain
to the complete vehicle.
“We know what customers expect
from Caterpillar, so when we’re devel-
oping a truck we know the types of
things that our customers want to
see in terms of reliability, in terms of
durability, in terms of quality and how
product will actually look.”
At the launch, the truck will be avail-
able with two engine options — a Cat
CT11 available in ratings from 330 to
390 bhp, with a peak torque of 1450
lb.ft. and a CT13 diesel with ratings
from 410 to 475 bhp and a maximum
torque of 1700 lb.ft. A larger CT15
engine with ratings from 435 to 550
bhp and a peak torque of 1850 lb.ft.
will be available by the first quarter of
next year, Cat said.
All of the engines are inline, six-cylinder diesels incorporating Bosch
high-pressure common rail fuel systems, Borg Warner turbochargers and
full-authority electronic controls.
The CT11 and CT13 are variants
of Navistar’s MaxxForce 11 and
MaxxForce 13 engines, while the
CT15 incorporates the bottom end
mechanical components of the Cat
C15, with combustion, breathing and
engine control systems from Navistar.
All of the engines are being assembled at Navistar’s Huntsville, Ala., Big
Bore engine plant.
“In regards to the engine, Navistar
will manufacture the engine for us,
and we’ve worked with them to create
horsepower and torque ratings specific for the vocational truck market,”
said Blood in a blog entry. He added,
“The new Cat CT11, CT13 and CT15
engines will have the same reliability
• June 12, 2008: Caterpillar and Navistar sign a Memorandum of Understand-
ing (MOU) to jointly pursue global on-highway truck business opportunities and
cooperate on a variety of engine platforms.
• April 4, 2009: Caterpillar and Navistar agree on a two-part deal involving com-
mercial and vocational trucks for both the international and North American mar-
kets. The first part of the arrangement forms NC2 Global LLC, a 50/50 joint ven-
ture whose board of directors is drawn from both companies. The initial purpose
of the venture is to develop and distribute commercial trucks in regions outside
of North America and India. Part two is a strategic alliance to develop and manu-
facture a new line of heavy-duty Caterpillar-branded vocational trucks for the
North American markets. Co-developed by Caterpillar and Navistar, the vehicles
are to be manufactured at Navistar’s Garland, Texas, operations and will be sold
and serviced exclusively by Cat’s North America dealer network. The companies
will jointly invest more than $150 million in the venture over the next three years
and the operating agreement will run for 25 years.
• Sept. 9, 2009: The NC2 management is announced, with Navistar’s Al Saltiel
named president. Caterpillar Group President Doug Oberhelman (who has
since become Cat’s chairman) is chairman of the NC2 board, while Navistar
Truck Group President Dee Kapur is lead director from Navistar.
• November 2010: The first Caterpillar on-highway trucks are launched in Austra-
lia. The CT610 and CT630 trucks are being assembled in Tullamarine, Victoria,
and will be sold through a newly formed Australian network composed of select
Cat dealers (see February, Diesel Progress).
• March 2011: Caterpillar launches work trucks at ConExpo-Con/Agg.
Caterpillar Truck Timeline
Significant milestones in the development of
Caterpillar’s truck business
and performance you would expect
from a Cat product.”
The engines will utilize Navistar’s
Advanced EGR system, which
employs exhaust gas recirculation as
the primary NOx reduction technology.
Unlike other truck and engine builders
in North America, Navistar is not using
selective catalytic reduction (SCR) —
a decision that is being questioned by
many in the trucking industry.
But in answer to a question on
his blog, Blood sought to reas-
sure those who wondered about
Navistar’s EGR-only strategy, not-
ing, “We wouldn’t introduce a prod-
uct unless we were confident it was
reliable and durable. Additionally,
the engines will be supported exclu-
sively by Cat dealers.”
The engine will be teamed with a
Cat CX21 six-speed transmission,
an electronically controlled, planetary
automatic with a lock-up torque con-
verter. The transmission development
was based on transmissions used in
Cat’s articulated dump trucks and it
offers an optional integral hydraulic
retarder and transmission-mounted or
remote-mount spin-on oil filter.
March 2011 DIESEL PROGRESS NORTH AMERICAN EDITION 21
