Knight Transportation, Cummins and Clean Energy demonstrate potential of ultra-low carbon fuel through Cummins X15N Natural Gas powertrains in California
Phoenix, Ariz. (U.S.)-based Knight Transportation, Inc. (NYSE:KNX) ("Knight"), part of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (Knight-Swift) and the industry's largest full truckload company, has been successfully testing Cummins Inc’s (NYSE:CMI) new X15N natural gas engine in Southern Calif. (U.S.) – realizing NOx and greenhouse gas reductions without compromise to performance.
The truck is fueled exclusively with Clean Energy ultra-low carbon Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) anchored by Clean Energy’s station in Carson, Calif.
“Our customers rely on us to deliver a wide range of loads critical to their businesses,” said Dave Williams, Knight-Swift Transportation’s Senior Vice President of Equipment and Government Relations. “We must ensure we are utilizing the most reliable and efficient technologies possible that help us reduce our carbon footprint,” Williams continued. Knight-Swift’s goal is to reduce CO2 emissions generated from the KNX fleet by 50 percent by 2035. “We value our collaboration with Cummins and are encouraged by what we have seen so far with the 15L renewable natural gas technology. We will continue to work together to make sure that the capabilities and economics associated with this technology allow us to meet the wide-ranging needs of our fleet.”
Coming to market in 2024, the Cummins X15N natural gas engine delivers diesel-like ratings as well as durability and reliability to allow fleets to significantly reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing capability. The X15N offers the industry a solution toward achieving their sustainability goals, including the ability to run on renewable natural gas.
“Arizonans understand how critical equipment costs are to running a business. Renewable natural gas is something we can utilize now with very measurable benefits to both the environment and the economy. This investment will help Arizona truckers adopt low-cost advanced technology,” said Congresswoman Debbie Lesko, who represents Arizona’s 8th Congressional District and serves on the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
“We create negative carbon intensity RNG by trapping methane at its biogenic source, preventing it from escaping to atmosphere, and turning it into transportation grade renewable fuel. This results in Clean Energy’s negative carbon intensity RNG that we supply to Clean Energy stations throughout California,” said Clean Energy Vice President Derek Turbide.
“Our relationship with the Knight Transportation family goes back more than 30 years with a rich history of partnering through field tests of new technologies and features. The feedback in the development process is invaluable to the products long-term success for our customers. The suite of integrated Cummins technologies used on these trucks from engine, aftertreatment, and fuel storage to transmission, axles and the digital features that pull them all together in their most optimized form demonstrates the value of our next generation of product to our customers,” said José Samperio, Vice President North American On-Highway Business, Cummins.
The field testing with Knight-Swift will continue through full production of the X15N powertrain in 2024.
Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. is one of North America's largest and most diversified freight transportation companies, providing multiple truckload transportation and logistics services, as well as LTL services. Knight-Swift uses a nationwide network of business units and terminals in the United States and Mexico to serve customers throughout North America. In addition to operating the country's largest tractor fleet, Knight-Swift also contracts with third-party equipment providers to provide a broad range of truckload services to our customers while creating quality driving jobs for our driving associates and successful business opportunities for independent contractors.
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is the country’s largest provider of the cleanest fuel for the transportation market. Our mission is to decarbonize transportation through the development and delivery of renewable natural gas (RNG), a sustainable fuel derived from organic waste. Clean Energy allows thousands of vehicles, from airport shuttles to city buses to waste and heavy-duty trucks, to reduce their amount of climate-harming greenhouse gas. We operate a vast network of fueling stations across the U.S. and Canada. Visit www.cleanenergyfuels.com and follow @ce_renewables on Twitter.
Cummins Inc., a global power solutions leader, comprises five business segments – Components, Engine, Distribution, Power Systems and Accelera by Cummins – supported by our global manufacturing and extensive service and support network, skilled workforce and vast technological expertise. Cummins is committed to its Destination Zero strategy, which is grounded in the company’s commitment to sustainability and helping its customers successfully navigate the energy transition with its broad portfolio of products. The products range from advanced diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid powertrains and powertrain-related components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, valvetrain technologies, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, axles, drivelines, brakes, suspension systems, electric power generation systems, batteries, electrified power systems, hydrogen production technologies and fuel cell products. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.), since its founding in 1919, Cummins employs approximately 75,500 people committed to powering a more prosperous world through three global corporate responsibility priorities critical to healthy communities: education, environment and equality of opportunity. Cummins serves its customers online, through a network of company-owned and independent distributor locations, and through thousands of dealer locations worldwide and earned about $735 million on sales of $34.1 billion in 2023.
