The history of diesel engines dates back to the late 19th century when Rudolf Diesel, a German engineer, invented the first practical compression-ignition engine. Throughout this significant timeline, DEUTZ has also achieved significant milestones.
Here is a brief overview of the key milestones in the history of diesel engines and how DEUTZ has evolved along this timeline:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1892 | Rudolf Diesel patents his design for an internal combustion engine. |
| 1892 | DEUTZ starts manufacturing locomotives with combustion engines; first prototype delivered to Radebeul Chemical Factory. |
| 1894 | DEUTZ presents its first diesel engine manufactured in-house. |
| 1897 | Rudolf Diesel produces a prototype engine. He exhibits it at the Exhibition Fair in Munich, demonstrating it is more efficient than steam engines of the era. |
| 1898 | The first commercial diesel engine is used in a stationary setting. |
| 1899 | The first two-stroke engine, invented by Hugo Güldner, is built. |
| 1901 | The first trunk piston diesel engine is designed by Immanuel Lauster. |
| 1907 | The combustion engine patent held by Rudolf Diesel expires, allowing DEUTZ to offer a competitive range of diesel engines. |
| 1907 | DEUTZ begins mass production of diesel engines with around 3,500 employees in-house. |
| 1908 | The first appearance of a truck with a diesel engine. |
| 1911 | DEUTZ introduces the first mass-produced compressorless diesel engine. |
| 1912 | The first locomotive and ocean-going ship with diesel engines. |
| 1921 | The VM (Viertakt-Motor) four-stroke engine with airless direct fuel injection hits the market. |
| 1923 | The first tractor with a diesel engine is displayed at the Königsberg DLG Exhibition. |
| 1925 | Diesel powered tractors begin being mass produced. |
| 1926 | DEUTZ launches the first mass-produced diesel tractor, the MTH 222. |
| 1929 | First passenger vehicle with a diesel engine. |
| 1934 | First diesel-electric passenger train. |
| 1936 | DEUTZ takes over C.D. Magirus AG and enters the diesel-powered commercial vehicle business: fire brigade vehicles, trucks, customised all-wheel-drive military vehicles, and buses. |
| 1946 | Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD) markets an air-cooled mass-produced diesel engine. |
| 1950s | KHD becomes the global market leader of air-cooled diesel engines. |
| 1972 | KHD introduces the AS-System (any fuel direct injection) which can operate on any kind of liquid fuel. |
| 1979 | First prototype of a low-speed two-stroke engine. |
| 1996 | First diesel engine with direct injection and four valves per cylinder. |
| 2006 | The world’s most powerful diesel engine is produced, rated at 80,080 kW. |
