Rolls-Royce, Yuchai Diesel Expand mtu Engine Manufacturing

Rolls-Royce and Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Co. (Yuchai Diesel) are expanding their joint venture’s manufacturing capability to include additional mtu engine models. In addition to producing mtu Series 4000 engines for power generation, MTU Yuchai Power will manufacture Series 4000 engines for oil and gas, mtu Series 2000 engines for power generation, and the Yuchai VC engine in the latter half of 2025.

“I am delighted that we are deepening our cooperation with Yuchai,” said Dr. Jorg Stratmann, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “Building on the foundation and experience of our joint venture, we will capitalize on the resulting opportunities and jointly tap into the potential available to us in this region by combining the expertise of both partners. We can offer our existing customers an expanded product program and convince new ones of our product range, which will bring them real added value.”

mtu Series 2000 engine; Image Credits: mtu

The partners will invest in MTU Yuchai Power to:

• Expand research and development
• Offer customers an improved product portfolio
• Increase market share
• Open new markets, especially in power generation

Yuchai Diesel and Rolls-Royce Power Systems established the joint venture in 2014 and in April 2018, MTU Yuchai Power’s first mtu Series 4000 engine left the assembly line. Since then, the joint venture manufactured more than 2,000 mtu engines, satisfying China’s demand for high-end, high-speed diesel engines above 1,400 kW. Engines from MTU Yuchai Power provide emergency power for data centers and semiconductor factories in China, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia.

Rolls-Royce mtu Engines

In July 2024, Rolls-Royce’s mtu Series 4000 FNER/FV gas engines received H2-readiness certification from TÜV Süd. It will provide newbuild and retrofit power plants with its Series 4000 engines using a hydrogen mixture of up to 25% by volume and 100% by volume for operation. The engines, when using green hydrogen, are CO₂-free and adhere to the EU’s emissions requirements with/without exhaust gas aftertreatment.

The company said the first 1 MW hydrogen-ready mtu should be delivered before 2025. The initial installation is scheduled for early 2025 at the Enerport II lighthouse project in Germany’s Duisburg inland port. Two CHP plants will add to the CO₂-neutral energy supply in the new container terminal. Prior to delivery, Rolls-Royce is testing the engines at its gas engine plant in Augsburg. Testing of the 12-cylinder mtu Series 4000 L64 gas engine displayed high performance, efficiency, and low-emissions characteristics.

In June, the Polish Navy contracted Rolls-Royce to deliver mtu propulsion engines and marine generator sets (gensets) for the first of three Miecznik multipurpose frigates—the equipment is now being assembled at a Rolls-Royce facility in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The mtu 20V8000 main propulsion engines have an output of 8,200 kW each and the mtu 12V4000 on-board gensets have a mechanical power output of 1,650 kW each.

Two propulsion engines will be installed per propeller and used flexibly in varying combinations, such as single-engine operation for slow patrols or high-speed, four-engine operation at more than 20 knots. The on-board gensets power the electrical grid for ship and mission operations without assistance from the propulsion engines.