Kohler recently unveiled a new line of G-drive diesel engines and KD Series industrial generator sets to a small group of trade press editors in Strasbourg, France.
The group toured a new Liebherr manufacturing facility in Colmar, France, to see a few of the first production units coming off the assembly line and witness some long-term testing being done on one of these new engines.
The new Kohler-branded diesel engines were co-developed by Kohler and Liebherr through a strategic partnership that was signed back in 2010. Liebherr Group is a third-generation, Italian family-run business that was founded in 1949. It’s one of the world’s largest manufacturers of construction machinery. The new engines will be built in the Colmar facility as well as in an extended facility in Bulle, Switzerland.
“This is an exciting and transformational product launch,” said Tom Cromwell, group president-power for Kohler. “A global team of engineers came together and worked tirelessly to design and develop these new large diesel engines.”
In total, there are six engines in the new line, which deliver between 891 and 4,250 kWm standby power at 60 Hz. The new line is divided into two series — the 135 series and the 175 series. Each series consists of three engine types.
The 135 series includes the KD27V12, a 12-cylinder model with 135 mm bore and 27 liters displacement; the KD36V16, a 16-cylinder model with 135 mm bore and 36 liters displacement; and the KD45V20, a 20-cylinder model with 135 mm bore and 45 liters displacement.
The 175 series also consists of three engines: the KD62V12, a 12-cylinder engine with 175 mm bore and 62.4 liters displacement; the KD83V16, a 16-cylinder model with 175 mm bore and 82.72 liters displacement; and the KD103V20, a 20-cylinder model with 175 mm bore and 103.40 liters displacement.
Both the 135 and 175 series of engines incorporate a modular design with common components, allowing for efficient servicing, reduced spare parts inventory, and more streamlined technician training.