What does Nissan, the second largest automaker in Japan, and Cummins, a major manufacturer of diesel engines in the U.S. have in common... well besides cars and trucks, of course? The two companies have teamed up to bring better fuel economy to the half-ton pickup truck market via the development of leading-edge technology, all backed by funds from the US Department of Energy.

Specifically, Nissan and Cummins are developing an all-new 220-horsepower (hp), turbocharged 2.8-liter inline-four-cylinder diesel engine. In its finished state, it is expected to deliver up to 30 mpg highway and at least 28 mpg combined. We dare you find one truck on the market today with that kind of fuel economy!

The companies' sole goal, however, isn't just to create a hyper-efficient engine for the half-ton pickup truck market. It's also to engineer the engine so that it emits such low emissions as to meet California's super-ultra-low-emissions-vehicle (SULEV) standard. The Prius and Insight currently meet this standard. If everything goes according to plan, Nissan could be the first to develop an SULEV truck.

With just eight months under their belts Nissan and Cummins have come a very long way. They have, in fact, already tested a prototype of the super fuel-efficient diesel engine in the Nissan Titan pickup. The finished 220-horsepower (hp), turbocharged 2.8-liter inline-four-cylinder diesel engine, however, isn't expected to debut until fall 2014. Befittingly, this is also when the next-generation Titan is expected to launch.

Stay tuned for more news on Nissan innovation. Firkins Nissan in Bradenton is dedicated to keeping you current.