Cummins Inc. is expanding its portfolio of lower-emission alternatives to diesel by bringing the 15-liter natural gas engine it sells in China to North America.
If fueled with renewable natural gas, fleets seeking a larger-displacement natural gas engine than Cummins’ present 12-liter option could opt for the larger powerplant, which could potentially give harmful net-zero carbon emissions (RNG).
Last year, Cummins (NYSE: CMI) debuted the 15-liter natural gas engine in China. Inquiries from fleets in North America revealed that there was enough demand to sell it here. In Jamestown, New York, the X15N will be built. Cummins’ general manager of worldwide natural gas business, Puneet Jhawar, told FreightWaves.
“From interactions we’ve had, several fleets have expressed interest in NG power but have been hesitant to embrace the current 12L offering,” said Steve Tam, vice president of ACT Research. “Expanding the displacement/horsepower/torque options provides these fleets with exactly what they requested.”
The 15-liter natural gas engine is expected to produce 500 horsepower and 1,850 pound-feet of torque. It will weigh up to 500 pounds lighter than comparable diesel engines and will not require the selective catalyst reduction after-treatment that California and EPA regulators have recommended for 2024.
Emissions reduction strategy
“Early adopters will largely be clients that are currently using natural gas technology and want a big bore engine to satisfy their operating aims and accomplish their emissions goals of near-zero or zero,” Jhawar explained. “Long-haul fleets wanting to reduce their carbon footprint and achieve sustainability goals will likely be early adopters of the 15-liter natural gas engine.”
Cummins’ larger-displacement powerplant is the latest step in a zero-emissions strategy that incorporates enhanced diesel, natural gas, hydrogen engines, hybrids, battery electric vehicles, and fuel cells increasingly powered by low-carbon fuels renewable electricity, and hydrogen.
Mike Roeth, executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, told FreightWaves, “This falls into the plethora of solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions on our way to zero-emissions goods movement with renewable energy and battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.”
“Fleets make data-driven decisions and make decisions based on the total cost of ownership, social pressure for greater sustainability, and upcoming laws.”
‘Competitive power option at a low cost.’
Cummins, established in Columbus, Indiana, aims to reduce emissions from newly sold products by 30% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
That’s a large job for a firm that makes the most diesel engines for trucks of any manufacturer. And it’s scooping up additional work in that sector, having taken over Daimler Truck’s medium-duty engine assembly globally, as well as producing medium-duty engines for Toyota subsidiary Hino Trucks and Japan’s Isuzu Motors.
According to the Diesel Technology Forum, there were 11 million Class 3-8 diesel trucks on the road in 2019, compared to just 60,000 natural gas-powered trucks.
When asked if the 15-liter natural gas engine could eat into diesel engine sales, Allen Schaeffer, the Forum’s executive director, replied Monday, “It’s all good.” “One thing it does demonstrate is that advanced diesel technology is still being invested in.”
Cummins Westport’s joint venture is being phased down.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel-generated from oil, but it emits significantly fewer pollutants than oil. When RNG is used instead of natural gas, the carbon footprint is so minimal that it is virtually undetectable. When methane released into the atmosphere from landfills is caught as fuel and used in a natural gas fuel system, the outcome is negative net carbon.
“In heavy-duty transportation, we feel this natural gas option is a game-changer as a cost-competitive power option to conventional diesel powertrains,” said Srikanth Padmanabhan, president of Cummins’ engine business.
Cummins is also testing a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine based on the 15-liter natural gas engine.
The new product aligns with Cummins’ plan to buy 50% of Rush Enterprises’ Momentum Fuel technologies on the marketing front. Cummins and Rush Enterprises (NASDAQ: RUSHA) are planning to form a joint venture to provide Cummins-branded natural gas fuel delivery systems for the commercial vehicle market in North America.
The 10-year joint venture between Cummins and Westport Fuel Systems will terminate in 2021.
