MAN Engines is now equipping the PistenBully 800 from Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG with its MAN D3876 engine. The basis for the delivery of the in-line six-cylinder engine was the further development and adaptation of the MAN D3876 to the extreme working environment of the new high-performance snow groomer from Laupheim.

In addition to the MAN D4276 on the same platform, the MAN D3876 is the most powerful in-line six-cylinder engine in the portfolio of engine manufacturer MAN Engines. With a displacement of 15.3 liters, the engine in the PistenBully 800 offers 2,900 N·m of torque and 612 hp (450 kW). As a result, the currently most powerful PistenBully in the series portfolio achieves a unique thrust for the preparation of slopes.

One of the decisive factors for this performance is the VTG turbocharger, which optimizes the dynamic response in the off-road-specific speed ranges thanks to its variable turbine geometry (VTG).

In addition, this technology displays the maximum power and torque over a wide speed range. Especially on steep slopes and in changeable terrain, this means a constant thrust performance. In order to ensure the cold-start behavior even at temperatures as low as -30° Celsius, the combustion behavior was also modified when starting the engine.

For work at high altitudes, on the other hand, the MAN engineers had to redesign the behavior of the charge air components to the thinner air at high altitudes. In addition, the specialists for off-road engines from MAN Engines optimized the oil pan and oil pump of the MAN D3876. In contrast to the on-road version, this allows lean angles of up to 45° on all sides.

All D3876 engines are equipped with a common rail injection system that operates at an injection pressure of 2,500 bar. This makes the system one of the systems with the highest pressures on the market and guarantees optimum fuel atomization quality. As a result, significant savings in fuel consumption can be achieved.

Our development goal has always been to achieve the best fuel consumption. This saves the operator costs and also reduces the CO₂ emissions of the engines.

—Werner Kübler, Head of Engineering MAN Engines

Specifically, the MAN D3876 in the PistenBully 800 offers one third more thrust than all snow groomers currently available on the market. At the same time, it saves up to 9% fuel per cubic meter of shifted snow and emits correspondingly less CO₂.

Equipped with the latest exhaust technologies, the MAN D3876 complies with the current and strict EU Stage V emission regulations. In addition, the engine is approved for operation with HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil)—also known as regenerative diesel—according to the EN15940 standard. Regenerative diesel ensures clean combustion with up to 90% less greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂) in the exhaust gas compared to conventional diesel.

In order to be able to completely dispense with CO₂ emissions in the exhaust gas in the future, MAN Engines already has concepts for a pure hydrogen combustion engine for off-road applications. This—called MAN H4576—is based on the basic engine of the MAN D3876 and uses the same installation dimensions, so that it can replace the diesel engine in the PistenBully 800 in due course.

The MAN D3876 was introduced in 2014 as a completely new and independent engine series from MAN Truck & Bus. This in-line six-cylinder engine with a displacement of 15.3 l has replaced the previous MAN D2868 V8 engine with 16.2 l in commercial vehicles and off-road applications.

While the basic engine and the injection equipment are identical for both on-road and off-road applications, the specific on-road and off-road characteristics are essentially represented by different concepts in turbocharging, combustion and electronics as well as in the add-on components and exhaust gas aftertreatment.

The product range of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG includes the PistenBully family for slope and cross-country ski trail maintenance with SNOWsat as a digital slope and fleet management system. In addition, training and consulting are provided in the PRO ACADEMY for efficient and resource-saving slope management. In addition, the portfolio includes the brands BeachTech for beach cleaning and PowerBully for work and transport operations in rough terrain.