Mack Trucks said at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas its MP13 powertrain has been re-engineered to meet stringent EPA 2027 emissions standards while also getting a performance boost for both highway and vocational applications.
The new MP13 will deliver up to 540 horsepower and 1,950 lb.-ft. of torque, but beyond raw power, the engine increases braking horsepower by more than 20%, reaching 630 braking hp for improved stopping capability.
To meet the 2027 federal standards, Mack Senior Vice President Govi Kannan said engineers focused on more complete combustion cycles to reduce CO2, soot, and particulate matter. “This will be our strongest 13-liter that we have built,” Kannan said. The cost of compliance, Kannan said, is expected to be roughly $10,000 over the prior generation engine.
The engine is paired with an updated mDRIVE automated manual transmission, featuring enhanced engine-to-transmission communication for faster shifting. Advanced predictive software and an optimized torque curve—peaking as low as 900 RPM—further support fuel economy through down speeding.
The efficiency gains vary by model. While the MP13 offers a 3% fuel improvement in the Mack Pioneer, Anthem, and Granite models, it reaches a 6% efficiency increase in the all-new Mack Keystone compared to its predecessor, the Pinnacle. Mack officials noted the Keystone’s gains were achieved without sacrificing the off-road versatility required for vocational work.
The EPA 2027-compliant MP13 will be available for order in August 2026 and be available in Mack’s entire long-haul and vocational lineup.
Source: CCJ
PSR Analysis. Depending on the application, the improvement in fuel economy will help off-set the additional up-front cost of the 2027 compliant engines. While the 13 liter engines for both Mack and Volvo will be able to meet the 2027 emission regulations for their 13 liter engine program, they will be replacing the current MP7 11 liter engine with the new Cummins X10 engine program. PSR
Chris Fisher is Senior Commercial Vehicle Analyst at Power Systems Research
