Kenworth Explores Hybrid-Electric Trucking with CWI ISL G Near Zero Engine
Kenworth Truck Company is developing a prototype series hybrid-electric T680 day cab designed to produce near-zero-emissions. The truck will use the currently available Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero NOx engine fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) to generate electrical power. Initial track and road testing is expected to start in the fourth quarter. Four more hybrid day cab prototypes will follow in 2018.
Each truck will have an electric-only range of approximately 30 miles, and the on-board natural gas will provide sufficient range for a full day in regional haul applications. Kenworth’s work on this program is supported by a grant of $2.1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), with Southern California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) as the prime applicant.
The follow-up project, for which funding of $4.8 million has been received from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), again with the SCAQMD as the prime applicant, calls for the building of four additional, hybrid-electric T680 day cabs equipped with the Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero NOx engine operating on compressed natural gas, and will also support customer field tests of these units in Southern California drayage operations.
Kenworth will build its first unit for this project in 2018. Kenworth engineers will be able to make design and system refinements to this 2018 unit based on data collected from this year’s real-world testing of the initial, 2017 hybrid-electric T680.
All prototype T680 day cab drayage tractors will transport freight from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to warehouses and railyards in the Los Angeles basin.
“These T680 day cab projects provide an excellent opportunity for Kenworth to develop and advance important technologies that may play a critical role in the trucks of tomorrow,” said Patrick Dean, Kenworth chief engineer. “Within the next decade, hybrid-electric powertrains are expected to be required to satisfy emissions regulations in several major U.S. metropolitan areas. For example, California is considering regulations that will require zero-emission levels for port drayage trucks operating in specifically designated areas. We look forward to playing a leadership role to meet the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company.