Westport Innovations and PACCAR Australia, the manufacturers of Kenworth trucks, have announced that the companies will develop and commercialise liquefied natural gas (LNG) Kenworth trucks for the Australian market. Kenworth plan to begin factory-installed production in mid-2009 beginning with the T908, K108 and T408SAR truck chassis and roll out across additional models into the future. The LNG trucks, featuring the Westport high pressure direct injection (HPDI) LNG engine and fuel system, will be produced at the Kenworth Bayswater plant outside Melbourne.
Westport’s engine and LNG fuel system for heavy-duty trucks allows trucking fleets to move to lower-cost, domestically available natural gas and/or biogas while offering significant greenhouse gas reductions compared with similar diesel engines. Based on the Cummins ISX diesel engine with cooled EGR, Westport’s direct-injection LNG version of the engine offers the same horsepower, torque, and efficiency as the base diesel engine it is replacing, with ratings in the Australian market of up to 1850 lb-ft torque and 580 peak horsepower.
The Westport LNG fuel system comprises LNG fuel tanks, proprietary Westport fuel injectors, cryogenic fuel pumps and associated electronic components to facilitate robust performance and reliable operation. The Westport engine is fuelled with vaporised LNG – a safe, cost effective, low carbon, and low emissions fuel. LNG fuel tanks can be configured to suit customer range requirements. The Westport LNG system for the Cummins ISX is certified to 2008 Australian Design Rules (ADR 80/02 and ADR 30/01).
The Australian Government has been supportive of the introduction of Westport’s LNG fuel system into the Australian market with demonstration funding. Under the funding arrangement Mitchell Corp., Sands Fridge Lines and Murray Goulburn Cooperative have been early adopters of Westport’s technology.
