Family-owned Food Express announced that it has begun operating a Class-8 tractor fitted with a Cummins X15N, the highly anticipated engine which will be commercially available in 2024. Clean Energy Fuels is providing renewable natural gas for the new Kenworth truck at its fueling station in Fontana, California.
The Cummins X15N engine is designed to reduce CO2 and NOx emissions by 90% below current EPA standards. By operating with biomethane, the Food Express truck will have a net carbon negative rating. The engine is also built with cost savings in mind, demonstrating up to a 10% fuel economy improvement compared to the Cummins ISX12N engine, yet providing a power rating of up to 500 hp and torque up to 1850 lb-ft.
Food Express has a long-standing commitment of operating sustainably. It currently runs a fleet of 88 heavy-duty trucks that operate on renewable natural gas while transporting bulk food commodities throughout California and the Pacific Northwest.
“The addition of the new truck with Cummins’ latest clean technology into our fleet falls nicely into our decarbonization plans,” said Kevin Keeney, President of Food Express. “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 renewable natural gas.”
“The relationship between Food Express and Clean Energy has been strong since 2015 when they began including natural gas-powered tractors into their fleet,” said Chad Lindholm, Clean Energy Senior Vice President. “Food Express quickly transitioned to renewable natural gas as it became available, and continues to demonstrate their leadership in the transportation sector by being one of a handful of fleets that are part of the early testing of Cummins latest technology and their new larger engine.”
The California Air Resources Board gives biomethane from dairy farms an average carbon score of -330, which is substantially lower than electric vehicles charging with electricity on today’s grid.
Source: Clean Energy
