LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Westport Innovations Inc. and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced a new joint program aimed at further accelerating the adoption of liquefied natural-gas vehicles among trucking companies.
The companies said they will bundle the Westport LNG Tank System with a fuel contract from Clean Energy in an effort to provide a payback to customers who purchase these vehicles within two years.
The cold LNG system is customized for spark-ignited engines such as the current Cummins Westport ISL G or the new ISX12 G, the companies said Tuesday prior to the Mid-America Trucking Show being held here this week.
James Harger, Clean Energy’s chief marketing officer, told Transport Topics a target customer for this agreement is generally a fleet interested in running at least 20 to 30 LNG trucks. He suggested a mix of incentives, rebates and pricing discounts could be offered, depending on fuel burn and other factors.
He said Clean Energy has more than 60 fueling stations ready to open, but is waiting for LNG demand in particular areas to reach at least 30,000 gallons a month before moving forward.
Deals such as this partnership should help speed the process, Harger said.
“This collaborative program allows us to give customers a good opportunity to invest in the most advanced natural-gas engine and fuel-storage technology,” Steve Anderson, Westport’s vice president of business development, said in a statement.
The companies made the announcement at the Westport Kentucky Integration Center, about 25 miles from downtown Louisville. The facility is adjacent to a Ford Motor Co. plant, where Westport installs its compressed natural-gas tanks to Ford’s line of pickup trucks. The bi-fuel system uses the CNG first, before automatically kicking over to the gasoline backup.
Westport also announced here it plans to open a similar integrated facility in Ontario later this year.
Look for additional coverage in the March 25 edition of Transport Topics.
