Check in with the X15N: Fleet profiles and testimonials

back of X15N truck

The Cummins Inc. X15N is the most powerful natural gas engine Cummins has ever built, with a broad engine torque curve to provide flexibility for various heavy-duty applications.

The X15N weighs less than our current X15 diesel and has power ratings up to 500 hp and torque up to 1850 lb-ft, helping heavy-duty fleets start reducing their transportation emissions today, without sacrificing capability. The engine integrates seamlessly with existing service networks and practices, leading to a high level of parts commonality as new platforms enter the market.

Our 15-liter natural gas platform underwent rigorous testing prior to launch, including (6) years of research and development, 40,000 hours of in-house and overload testing, and six (6) million miles of on road testing. We now have more than 50,000 global production engines running outside North America with more than two billion miles of combined driving, hauling general freight up to 110K lbs. gross vehicle weight.

 For the North American X15N, the validation process included engine dyno testing, U.S. EPA and CARB Omnibus Low NOx emissions certification, abuse testing, and more than two dozen customer field test trucks accumulating nearly two million miles across a variety of applications, duty cycles and terrains.

So how good is the X15N? See what our customers have to say about it.


Werner Enterprises

A leading trucking company specializing in freight shipping and logistics management 

Company Profile: 

  • Operates more than 8,000 TTS Trucks1 
  • Named a 2024 Top Green Fleet by Heavy Duty Trucking2 
  • Aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 20353  

Quote: 

“As a top five truckload carrier in North America, we are committed to implementing sustainability initiatives creating long-lasting and industry-wide impacts. These [X15N powered] vehicles can greatly reduce emissions when running renewable natural gas, and we are eager and willing to help validate this new technology.” 4  

- Derek Leathers, Chairman, President and CEO, Werner Enterprises 

Werner truck
1 As of 9/30/23 for Dedicated and One-Way fleet size. TTS includes Dedicated and One-Way Truckload

2 https://investor.werner.com/news-and-events/press-releases/news-details/2024/Werner-Named-a-2024-Top-Green-Fleet-by-Heavy-Duty-Trucking/default.aspx 

​​​3 https://s1.q4cdn.com/812671447/files/doc_downloads/ESG/Werner-2023-CSR-Report.pdf 

4 https://investor.werner.com/news-and-events/press-releases/news-details/2023/Werner-Among-First-Group-of-Carriers-to-Test-Renewable-Natural-Gas-Through-Cummins-Engines/default.aspx

United Parcel Service (UPS)

Global shipping and logistics solutions provider 

Company Profile1: 

  • Operates more than 340,000 fleet assets across 200 countries and territories 
  • 22.3 million packages delivered daily2  
  • 4,500 natural gas tractors 
  • Goal to reduce CO2 per package by 50% compared to 2020 baseline 

Quote: 

“We’re thrilled to be the first company to acquire the T680 with the X15N 15-liter natural gas engine. This new truck enhances our worldwide fleet of over 18,000 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, which are essential for achieving our target of 40% alternative fuel in our ground operations by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2050.” 2 

- Anthony Marshall, VP of Maintenance and Engineering, UPS 

USPS employees
1 https://www.fleetequipmentmag.com/fleet-profile-ups-shares-results-of-strong-investment-in-alternative-fuel/  

2 https://about.ups.com/content/dam/upsstories/assets/fact-sheets/ups-global/CorporateFactSheet24.pdf  

3 https://www.fleetowner.com/emissions-efficiency/article/21283794/ups-receives-first-15-liter-natural-gas-powered-truck

Food Express, Inc. (FXI) 

A family owned and operated trucking company specializing in the transportation of food grade dry bulk commodities in the Western United States. 

Company Profile: 

  • Operates more than 300 tractors and 450 trailers1  
  • Fleet includes 88 trucks operating on renewable natural gas2 

Quote: 

“The addition of the new truck with Cummins’ latest clean technology [X15N] into our fleet falls nicely into our decarbonization plans. Having the power and torque of a larger engine is ideal for many of our routes, and it is an added benefit for it to operate with an ultra-low carbon fuel like RNG.”2 

- Kevin Keeney, President of Food Express 

FXI truck
1 https://www.foodexp.com/about-us/  

2 https://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/press-room/food-express-welcomes-truck-equipped-with-the-new-cummins-15-liter-natural-gas-engine-into-fleet  

C.A.T. Inc. 

One of North America’s largest and fastest growing transportation companies serving top tier customers across Canada, The United States & Mexico. 

Company Profile1: 

  • Operates 1800 tractors and 5500 trailers1  
  • 125 million miles driven per year 
  • Among the first fleets to make major investments in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology, starting with 100 CNG trucks in 2014 

Quote: 

“The 15-liter [X15N] has been performing great. So far from what we’ve seen, the horsepower and torque is comparable to diesel. If you do things right, it’s a technology that is working and has been proven. CNG and RNG is the only alternative energy available on the market that we can apply now.”2 

- Jonathan Royal, Senior Director of Asset Management for C.A.T. 

C.A.T. truck
1 https://cat.ca/our-company/  

2 https://www.trucknews.com/sustainability/near-zero-natural-gas-can-help-fleets-meet-decarbonization-objectives/1003184569/

Groupe Robert 

A logistics company that offers a variety of services to customers in North America, including warehousing, transportation, and order fulfillment. 

Company Profile: 

  • 1,000 tractors and 3,000 trailers  
  • More than 150 vehicles powered by natural gas1 

Quote: 

“At Robert, we have great expertise with Eaton automated transmissions and with the Endurant/CNG engine combination. We know that a natural gas truck reacts differently than a diesel. The efficiency we obtain with the X15N is very comparable to what we have with the equivalent diesel engine.” 

- Kevin Lambert, Sector Manager, Motorized Equipment and Permits, Groupe Robert 

Groupe Robert truck
1 https://www.robert.ca/en/discover/environmental-stewardship  

2 https://www.transportroutier.ca/nouvelles/de-ses-entrepots-a-ses-vehicules-comment-groupe-robert-optimise-son-bilan-environnemental/  

Ozinga Energy 

A leader in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) solutions in the Midwest and California. 

Company Profile: 

  • Operate the largest public CNG/RNG fueling network in Chicagoland 
  • Using the X15N to haul milk tankers in Arizona  

Quote: 

“We’re mooooooo-ving ahead with the new and innovative Cummins Inc. X15N engine! Powered by RNG [dairy gas], this big block engine is proving its capabilities!”1 

- Rich Mulder, Director of Logistics, Ozinga Energy LLC 

Ozinga truck
1 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rich-mulder-733b6454_were-mooooooo-ving-ahead-with-the-new-and-activity-7208467706654674944-6xyS 

Star Quality Concrete 

Bulk cement hauling fleet based in San Jose, California 

Company Profile: 

  • One of the concrete industry’s top CNG fleet operators1 
  • Operating CNG trucks since 2010 
  • Approximately 72,000 miles driven with X15N field test truck2 

Quote: 

“We are thrilled with the performance of the Cummins X15N engine paired with the Allison 4000 Series transmission and the potential impact it could bring to our fleet of over 100 natural gas trucks. The field testing has been flawless over 50,000 miles. The enhanced engine braking and consistently stronger power during shifting have significantly improved our operations.” 

- Victor Landaverde, Fleet Manager, Star Quality Concrete 

Star Quality Concrete application
1 https://concreteproducts.com/index.php/2020/12/22/first-mover/  

2 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allison-transmission-partners-with-cummins-to-conduct-successful-field-testing-of-new-natural-gas-engine-302204819.html  

J.B. Hunt 

Provides a variety of freight transportation services to customers throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico 

Company Profile: 

  • Started in trucking with the purchase of five trucks and seven trailers in the 1960s1 
  • Has grown into North America’s largest intermodal fleet 
  • Has a goal to reduce carbon emission intensity by 32% by 2034 (compared to 2019 baseline)2 

Quote: 

“We are excited to be the first carrier in Clean Energy’s pilot program and to get hands-on experience with the Cummins X15N tractor. Vehicles powered by renewable natural gas produce significantly less carbon emissions throughout their lifecycle and are more compatible with today’s available infrastructure than most competing emissions reduction technologies.”3 

- Greer Woodruff, executive vice president of safety, sustainability and maintenance at J.B. Hunt 

JB Hunt truck
1 https://careers.jbhunt.com/blog/jb-hunt-tradition-of-growth/  

2 https://www.jbhunt.com/our-company/esg/environmental-sustainability 

3 https://www.worktruckonline.com/10230366/a-leap-forward-in-sustainable-trucking-the-x15n-is-here  
Cummins Office Building

Cummins Inc.

Cummins, a global power technology leader, is a corporation of complementary business segments that design, manufacture, distribute and service a broad portfolio of power solutions. The company’s products range from internal combustion, electric and hybrid integrated power solutions and components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, electric power generation systems, microgrid controls, batteries, electrolyzers and fuel cell products.

Cummins Custompaks are being used for water management as Thailand struggles with its water crisis

CustomPak on site

Water crisis

Sixty Cummins Inc. CustomPaks are in service in Thailand as part of a critical water management plan aimed at easing the country’s water crisis – a crisis that has caused enormous economic and social damage and stirred conflict among communities.

Over the past several decades, Thailand has continually faced water problems caused by severe drought. Water reserves in dams and reservoirs are insufficient while water resources are often contaminated with toxins caused by urban communities and the industrial and agricultural sectors.

Severe flooding is a threat, too, at a time when the realities of climate change are hanging over the country.

As a result, the allocation of precious water resources, which must be shared among various stakeholders including new and existing industry, large and small agriculture, and cities and villages has become a flashpoint.

Kittithanapat Engineering Co. (KTP), has been involved in the water management system since 1996, working closely with authorities such as the Royal Irrigation Department, Department of Water Resources, Bangkok Metropolitan Authority and others.

CustomPaks on site

600 hp CustomPaks

To help KTP meet its often urgent requirements, Cummins DKSH (Thailand) has recently supplied 60 Australian-built CustomPaks – 45 powered by Cummins’ X15 engine rated at 600 hp, and 15 powered by the QSL9 rated at 325 hp. These fully self-contained powerpacks are emissions certified to Tier 3.

The CustomPaks are coupled to hydraulically-driven, large-volume submersible water pumps sourced by KTP from US company Moving Water Industries (MWI); KTP is the exclusive distributor in Thailand for these MWI Hydroflo pumps.

Prior to Cummins’ involvement, KTP was using another diesel engine brand but service support wasn’t up to the standard required.

Long-serving KTP engineer Kittisak Thanasoot says Cummins DKSH’s reputation for technical and aftersales support along with the reliability of the Cummins product were a key reason behind KTP’s decision to specify the CustomPaks for the Royal Irrigation Department.

The ability of Cummins DKSH to respond to short delivery times was also important.

“Supplying large quantities of high horsepower diesel engines for emergency situations such as flash flooding can be a challenge for KTP,” says Kittisak Thanasoot.

“Responding to the needs of the government agencies to manage such problems in a timely manner and with least impact on communities, KTP has found the answer in our partnership with Cummins DKSH.”

Power, pride and passion

Parked semi truck

The switch back to Cummins power has been beneficial for iconic New Zealand company Uhlenberg Haulage. It's all about whole-of-life costs.

Uhlenberg Haulage is closing in on 60 years in business, having been founded in 1966 by Mike and Carol Uhlenberg.

Based in Eltham, Taranaki, in New Zealand’s North Island, the operation is today owned and operated by their sons Chris, Daryl and Tony Uhlenberg.

Describing the Uhlenbergs as “old school family truckies”, Daryl talks about the company’s time-honored journey with a definite tone of pride, especially the work of his parents in laying the foundations for what is today an iconic fleet in its own right.

Cummins Inc. made its debut in the Uhlenberg fleet in 1971 with an NH250 powering a second-hand Kenworth K923 used in logging. A second Kenworth, a new W924 with a Cummins NTC335, followed soon after hauling an LPG tanker.

The Uhlenberg operation today comprises 40 prime movers and a variety of trailing gear to cater for the myriad of a jobs the fleet is involved in.

A number of Peterbilts feature in the fleet although Kenworth is now the brand of choice with six new units to be delivered over the next 12 months to cater for business growth.

Cummins’ X15 Euro 5 engine rated at 550 or 600 hp is the preferred power specification, with 18 red engines currently in the fleet.

Uhlenberg family in front of truck

Whole-of-life support

“The switch to Cummins has been a very good experience for us. We have nothing but praise for the Cummins organization,” says Daryl.

“The whole-of-life picture is the key thing for us and we’ve got that nailed with the support we get from Cummins – parts availability, scheduled maintenance, life expectancy and in-frame rebuilds.

“So the red engines turn up, we run them to life, which is 900,000 to 1.2 million kilometers, and then Cummins does an in-frame overhaul in a timely manner. If there’s an issue, parts and support are close by.

“The support we get from Cummins Palmerston North is fantastic, second to none.”

Daryl recently looked under a Kenworth that was in the workshop for a service and was surprised to see no oil leaking from the one-million-kilometer X15. “I remember when I was a fitter we had to wear a raincoat when working under a truck,” he jokes.

Fuel agnostic

Acknowledging that the push to decarbonize is now “very real”, Daryl likes the idea of Cummins’ fuel agnostic concept where one base internal combustion engine, optimized to run on diesel, can also be customized to run on ultra-low and zero-carbon fuels like renewable natural gas and hydrogen.

“My father was a pioneer of linehaul trucking in New Zealand and he always embraced new technology. He was never scared of it,” he says.

“I tend to be a little more cautious but I can see where a 500 hp natural gas or hydrogen engine would work for us in short haul applications,” he admits. “We’re certainly willing to look closely at these alternative fuel technologies when suitable infrastructure is in place.”

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