Dive Brief:
- UPS took delivery last month of the first Kenworth-built T680 semi-tractor powered by a 15-liter, compressed natural gas engine.
- The truck will be incorporated into the parcel giant’s fleet of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, which are contributing to its sustainability strategy.
- “This new truck enhances our worldwide fleet of over 18,000 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, which are essential for achieving our target of 40% alternative fuel in our ground operations by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2050,” Anthony Marshall, vice president of maintenance and engineering at UPS, said in the announcement.
Dive Insight:
UPS — which has been investing in alternative fuel technology for more than 20 years — will deploy its recently acquired Kenworth GNG truck in the Denver area by Q3, a spokesperson said in an email to Trucking Dive.
The parcel shipper purchased two Kenworth CNG trucks and expects to deploy the second tractor in its U.S. network by Q3, according to the company spokesperson. UPS will use the trucks in different locations in areas with varying terrains to test their capabilities.
Among UPS’ emissions reduction targets is achieving a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions per package delivered by 2035.
Kenworth’s T680 is equipped with Cummins’ X15N engine, which will meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2027 emissions requirements and the California Air Resources Board’s 2024 low nitrogen oxide standards, Kenworth said. The CO2 and NOx levels emitted by the engine are both 90% below current EPA standards, the truck maker said.
Walmart installed the Cummins engine in five of its trucks, which were converted to run on CNG and debuted in May 2023. The retailer, which has a fleet of 10,000 tractors, aims to reach zero emissions across its global operations by 2040.
Werner Enterprises began testing the Cummins CNG engine in April 2023 as part of its efforts to reduce its carbon emissions 55% by 2035.
