In a joint press release issued recently by Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced that it is launching a program to allow heavy-duty fleets to operate a truck equipped with the new Cummins X15N engine. The first company to participate in the program is industry leader J.B. Hunt Transport Inc., one of the largest commercial fleet operators with extensive logistics and transportation services in North America.
The 2025 Peterbilt 579 day cab tractor, branded in Clean Energy’s signature green and equipped with Cummins’ 15-liter X15N natural gas engine, will be available for fleets to test on their normal routes in up to two-week intervals. The fleets operating the demo truck will be able to utilize Clean Energy’s fueling infrastructure which consists of over 600 stations across North America, 200 of which have public tractor-trailer access, the release stated.
“We are honored to have our esteemed collaborators at J.B. Hunt kick off our X15N demo truck program. J.B. Hunt is committed to reducing its carbon footprint, and trialing our new renewable natural gas truck will allow them to experience the engine’s impressive capabilities which can meet any demand and has the potential to decarbonize part of its operations,” said Andrew Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy.
“As a solutions-driven industry leader, we are constantly exploring and testing opportunities that have the potential to deliver value for customers who are looking to reduce carbon emissions in their supply chain,” said Greer Woodruff, executive vice president of safety, sustainability and maintenance at J.B. Hunt. “We are excited to be the first carrier in Clean Energy’s pilot program and to get hands-on experience with the Cummins X15N tractor. Vehicles powered by renewable natural gas produce significantly less carbon emissions throughout their lifecycle and are more compatible with today’s available infrastructure than most competing emissions reduction technologies. The new technology and supporting fuel network in this pilot have the potential to be a viable, cost-effective solution for customers wanting to decrease their carbon footprint in the near term.”
J.B. Hunt has worked closely with OEMs, fuel suppliers and infrastructure developers for more than 15 years to study the economic and operational viability of natural-gas powered vehicles and their potential impact on GHG reductions. Today, J.B. Hunt operates more than 180 renewable natural gas-powered vehicles on behalf of customers. Alternative powered vehicles and the adoption of biogenic fuels are two essential components for the company to achieve its ambitious goal to reduce its carbon emissions intensity 32% by 2034 from a baseline year of 2019. In 2023, J.B. Hunt surpassed the halfway mark for reaching its ambitious goal. Complementary to achieving its goal, the company’s intermodal service offering leads the industry in converting over-the-road shipments to rail, which on average reduces a shipment’s carbon footprint by 65% versus highway truck transportation.
The new Cummins X15N engine is currently being tested by some of the country’s biggest and most demanding fleets and orders have already begun. It is receiving high praise for its capability to haul heavy loads for a 700+ mile range and is delivering on similar power and torque to its diesel counterpart the X15.
The X15N also has the ability to drastically reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when powered by RNG. RNG is the cleanest commercial transportation fuel available and can have a negative carbon-intensity score allowing trucks to reduce their carbon emissions by up to 300% compared to diesel. This has made the new engine a gamechanger for heavy-duty fleets looking to reach sustainability goals and effectively decarbonize their operations immediately.
Clean Energy’s X15N demo truck program is expected to run through 2025 or longer as demand and interest grows. The truck will make its way through large and medium size heavy-duty trucking companies in California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida and states in between. This fall, other industry carriers will follow J.B. Hunt to challenge the capabilities of the new engine running on low-carbon RNG.
RNG is a biogenic fuel made entirely from organic waste at facilities like dairy farms. Agriculture accounts for over 10% of U.S. GHG emissions and the transportation sector accounts for another 28%, according to the EPA. Capturing methane from farm waste lowers these emissions. RNG, produced by that captured methane and used as a transportation fuel, significantly lowers GHG emissions on a lifecycle basis when compared to diesel. This allows RNG to be one of the only transportation fuels to receive a negative carbon-intensity score by the California Air Resources Board based on the reduction of emissions at the source and at the vehicle.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
