Freightliner Truck, the largest heavy truck maker in North America unveiled a natural gas-powered Class 8 tractor June 7 aimed at the port, drayage and utility markets.
The Business Class M2 112 NG not not only cuts pollution compared with its diesel counterpart but can save as much as $6,000 a year in annual fuel and operating costs, Portland, Ore.-based Freightliner said.
“The M2 112 is a versatile and hard-working truck, and adding a natural gas option only enhances its efficiency,” said Melissa Clausen, Freightliner's director of product marketing. “Natural gas technology has come a long way," she said. :Buses have been using it for years, but the next generation natural gas powertrains have more power because less air is needed for combustion. The technology simply burns cleaner.”
Cummins supplies the truck's engine, the Westport ISL G. The engine already meets the Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 emissions standards for heavy truck engines, the company said.
Freightliner, a Daimler Trucks North America division, will also offer a compressed natural gass version of the M2 112, later this year. By the end of 2010, Freightliner and Cummins expect to have a line-up of natural gas-powered trucks that match more than 90 percent of truck applications in North America.
Contact William B. Cassidy at wcassidy@joc.com.