The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has endorsed the Cummins Westport 100 natural gas-fueled 8.9-liter ISL G engine as “near zero emission” of nitrogen oxides with only 0.02 grams per brake horsepower.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to validate the CARB verification, which has been shown to have emissions levels equivalent to a 100 percent battery truck using electricity from a natural gas power plant.
Cummins Westport revealed the CARB executive order, which was signed Sept. 10, as well as the potential EPA certification, in Denver at the 2015 North American Natural Gas Vehicle Conference & Expo sponsored by NGVAmerica.
ISL G engines are reported to be 90 percent cleaner than existing NOx standards that have been in effect since 2010. In addition to the reduction, the closed crankcase technology of these next-generation engines allows for 70 percent lower methane emissions.
The company displayed the ISL G engine and methane emissions-reduction closed crankcase vacuum unit during the NGVAmerica event, which will be available for use in vehicles like transit buses and garbage trucks in the coming year.
According to Eric McCoy, marketing communications specialist for Cummins Inc., Cummins Westport has submitted emission certification data for the ISL G to the EPA. Once certification from the agency is received, “We will be releasing more information,” said McCoy.
