EPA and CARB Certify Natural Gas Engines as Among Cleanest in World

NGVAmerica heralded news that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) have certified the 2018 Cummins Westport (CWI) L9N and B6.7N natural gas engines for emissions standards.  Both engines meet CARB optional Low NOx emission standards, as well as current EPA greenhouse gas emission (GHG) requirements, making them among the cleanest engines available today for truck and bus vehicle use.

“These certifications confirm that natural gas is among the cleanest commercially-available transportation options,” said NGVAmerica President Daniel Gage.  “Unlike electric or hydrogen technologies still years away from deployment, this 6.7 and 9 liter clean technology is ready-right-now.  No other pure power technology can match the availability, capability and cost effectiveness of these Zero Emission Equivalent natural gas-fueled products.”

The L9N is certified to the CARB optional Low NOx standard of 0.02 g/bhp-hr ‒ a 90 percent reduction from engines operating at the current EPA NOx limit of 0.2 g/bhp-hr. The L9N offers ratings from 250 – 320 hp and 1,000 lb-ft peak torque, making it ideal for transit, shuttle and school bus, as well as medium-duty truck and refuse applications.

The B6.7N is certified to the CARB optional Low NOx standard of 0.1 g/bhp-hr – a 50 percent reduction from current EPA levels. Available with ratings from 200 – 240 hp and 560 lb-ft peak torque, the B6.7N is a great fit for school bus, shuttle, and medium-duty truck applications.

These new engines build upon the experience gained from over 80,000 Cummins Westport engines currently in service and provide a present-day solution to urban air quality issues. In addition to ultra low emissions, the L9N and B6.7N feature a new engine control module with improved durability, on-board diagnostic (“OBD”) capability, an enhanced maintenance-free three-way catalyst, and a closed crankcase ventilation system.

All CWI engines can be fueled using compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG), and when renewable natural gas (RNG) from landfill, waste treatment, or agricultural biodigesters is used, significant additional GHG reductions are achieved.

For 2018, the L9N and B6.7N will be available as a first-fit option from leading bus and truck manufacturers. Cummins Westport will also introduce the 12 liter ISX12N natural gas engine as a first-fit option, which like the L9N, will meet the Optional Low NOx emissions level of 0.02 g/bhp-hr. Production of all three engines will begin in the first quarter of 2018.

Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) have long been the choice of fleet managers interested in escaping the volatility of ever-changing gasoline and diesel prices.  NGVs are powered by American fuel, American technology, and American innovation.  Vehicles powered by these new engines have the cleanest emissions profile of any fuel on the market today, and NGVs make a difference through a variety of applications – trucks, trash, transit, marine and rail.  No commercially-available heavy-duty powertrain solution today runs cleaner than natural gas.