Indian engine and equipment-maker Greaves Cotton Ltd. and U.S.-based Pinnacle Engines Inc. recently announced a technology partnership for the launch of an opposed-piston spark-ignited CNG lean-burn BS VI-compliant engine for three-wheelers in India. This move is said to make India one of the lead markets to adopt this technology.

The Indian government's Bharat Stage VI emission regulations are expected to be adopted by late 2020. The transition to BS VI requires three-wheeler OEMs in India to significantly upgrade their emissions-control technology.

Through the new partnership, Greaves Cotton will have access to export markets with a large three-wheeler population. With Pinnacle's four-stroke, sleeve-valve, opposed- piston engine design, Greaves aims to offer BS VI-compliant high power and fuel efficiency engines with lower maintenance cost. This partnership enables Greaves, claimed to be the market leader in diesel engines for three-wheelers, to enter the larger three-wheeler gasoline/CNG space.

Pinnacle Engines holds over 170 patents related to its opposed-piston engine architecture and electronic controls.

“Greaves has been a dominant player in the 'last-mile' transport segment with our range of diesel engines for a large number of automotive OEMs,” said Nagesh Basavanhalli, Managing Director and CEO, Greaves Cotton Ltd., in a statement. “The opposed-piston technology has been designed, developed and evolved by the Pinnacle Engines team to give class-leading fuel economy at the right cost, enabling best-in-class total cost of ownership for the end customer.”

Added Pinnacle Engines CEO David Moll: “We value the opportunity to partner with an established market leader like Greaves, and expect that our combined strengths will provide great advantage to the market. OEMs face great pressures on fuel economy, and ever-tightening emissions norms, and our cooperation provides a great answer to these challenges.”