LOS ANGELES — The Kenworth T680 on-highway flagship was the featured Class 8 truck at a major, zero emissions trucking event that featured more than 100 participants from government, industry, local community and the media held Monday at the Port of Los Angeles.
Kenworth Truck Co. and Toyota Motor North America are collaborating to develop 10 zero-emissions Kenworth T680s powered by Toyota hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains. The first new, jointly developed Kenworth/Toyota Fuel Cell Electric Truck (FCET) produced from the collaboration debuted at the event.
The effort is part of a $41 million Zero and Near-Zero Emissions Freight Facilities (ZANZEFF) grant awarded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), with the Port of Los Angeles as the prime applicant. CARB has awarded those funds to the Port of Los Angeles for the ZANZEFF project as part of California Climate Investments, a California initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.
“This cooperative effort among the Port of Los Angeles, Kenworth, Toyota and Shell is key to the development of hydrogen fuel cell electric technology in Class 8 trucks. The goal is to demonstrate and further develop advanced zero emissions powertrains for commercial vehicles,” said Mike Dozier, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president. “The performance of the 10 Kenworth heavy duty trucks being developed under this program is targeted to meet or exceed that of a diesel, while producing water as the only emissions byproduct.”
The program’s trucking partners are Toyota Logistics Services, UPS, TTSI and Southern Counties Express. The fleets will run the Kenworth T680s – equipped with Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell electric technology – in real-world operations, which will provide critical data for future development of the zero emissions powertrain. Also important for commercial adoption, is the hydrogen fueling infrastructure growth funded by the grant. The program will expand the quantity and accessibility of heavy-duty hydrogen fueling stations in the ports and across the Inland Empire regions. Shell will develop two new large capacity heavy-duty hydrogen fueling stations.
The program is utilizing the Kenworth T680 on-highway flagship, which sets the standard of excellence for superior fuel efficiency, performance and comfort.
“The T680 is perfect choice for this zero-emissions application with its proven reliability and durability, and provides the perfect foundation on which to develop the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain,” Dozier said. “Our experienced dealer network covering the Inland Empire will provide support the program’s zero-emissions vehicles. With the stability of the service network, we are well-positioned to meet the ‘Shore-to-Store’ program goals.”
Dozier listed several Kenworth environmental accomplishments, including:
1985: Kenworth introduced the trucking industry’s first truly aerodynamic truck – the sloped hood Kenworth T600 – which was 22 percent more fuel efficient than straight hood trucks.
1995: The Kenworth T600 team received the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Award for the Advancement of Motor Vehicle Research and Development in recognition of advancements in energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
2007: Kenworth received the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute’s Industry Innovation Award for the Kenworth T800 liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks, which were placed into real-world operation to reduce emissions at Southern California ports, including the Port of Los Angeles.
2009: Kenworth became the first truck manufacturer to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious Clean Air Excellence award – with recognition in the Clean Air Technology category – to honor its environmentally friendly products.
2010: Kenworth Class 8 trucks become available for order with the PACCAR MX engine upon its introduction into the North American truck market. The engine is designed to deliver industry leading fuel efficiency, performance and reliability.
2012: Kenworth launches the on-highway flagship Kenworth T680 – the most aerodynamic truck in the company’s history – continuing its tradition of providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
2014: The Kenworth assembly plant in Renton, Washington, began a four-year consecutive streak of earning a Gold Award from the King County (Wash.) Industrial Waste Program, part of the county’s Wastewater Treatment Division. The award annually honors local facilities whose business practices contribute to protecting regional water quality.
2018: The Kenworth-Chillicothe manufacturing plant received the 2018 Encouraging Environmental Excellence “E3” Gold Award from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The award recognizes businesses, nonprofits and government agencies in Ohio that demonstrate commitment to exceed regulatory compliance and attain exceptional achievements in environmental stewardship.
Today: Kenworth’s plants in Chillicothe, Ohio, and Renton, Washington, hold the prestigious International Standards Organization (ISO) 14001:2015 certification for effective environmental management systems established to help build Class 8 trucks in an environmentally sustainable manner. Kenworth’s medium duty trucks are produced at the PACCAR Ste. Thérèse, Quebec, assembly facility, which also achieved ISO 14001:2015 status.
For more information, visit www.kenworth.com.
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