Walmart has reached a new milestone in its goal for a zero-emissions transportation fleet with the debut of the first of five 15-liter compressed natural gas truck engines that will be incorporated into the company’s private fleet.
The X15N™ engine is supplied by Cummins and fueled by Chevron with compressed natural gas (CNG) linked to renewable natural gas. The Walmart truck will make its inaugural trip from Indiana to California, making pit stops along the way to refuel at Chevron stations.
Last year, Walmart announced several first-of-their-kind initiatives to reduce the emissions of its transport fleet, including natural gas, hydrogen and electric-powered vehicles.
“Walmart transportation is focused on the continuous piloting of solutions that aren’t just changing the industry, but are having a lasting impact on the world,” said Fernando Cortes, senior vice president of transportation at Walmart. “We are proud to team with Cummins and Chevron to develop industry-leading advancements that pave toward a lower carbon future.”
While trucking typically relies on diesel fuel, renewable natural gas is produced by capturing biomethane from decomposing organic matter such as cow manure or landfills. Since methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat, turning it into natural gas avoids more emissions than it generates.
“Working with partners like Walmart to test new products like the X15N gives Cummins valuable real-world data that helps us validate our engines prior to moving into full production,” said Puneet Jhawar, general manager – Spark Ignited Products for Cummins. “Chevron has also been very helpful in our test; to help increase CNG fuel availability that will enable adoption of alternate technologies faster.”
Once it reaches the end of its inaugural journey, the engine will be featured at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California, on May 1-4. There, the vehicle will be on display and available for attendees to jump in and take a ride.
“Chevron is constantly pursuing solutions that drive progress toward a lower carbon future,” said Andy Walz, Chevron’s president of Americas Products. “Partnering with Walmart and Cummins on the road trip and demonstration can help us deliver that progress today for the transportation, the industry, and customers who rely on all of our products to advance a lower carbon economy.”
Photo Credit: Business Wire
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