Westport is advancing a high-pressure compressed natural gas fuel storage system designed to support heavy-duty trucks with diesel-like performance and efficiency.
The system combines Westport’s next-generation CNG fuel storage platform with Cespira’s on-engine HPDI fuel system. Westport said the technology is designed for diesel combustion engines that require in-cylinder, high-pressure gaseous fuel injection.
Installed on a latest-generation Volvo VNL 300, the system is expected to deliver fuel efficiency on CNG that is closely comparable to the VNL running on diesel fuel.
Westport said the platform addresses a key barrier to HPDI adoption in North America, where CNG is preferred over liquefied natural gas. HPDI is commercially available in more than 30 countries and powers more than 10,000 trucks worldwide using LNG, but CNG preference has limited adoption in North America.
The high-pressure platform is designed to deliver diesel-cycle performance and efficiency using CNG or renewable natural gas without the need for an onboard compressor. The system includes Cespira’s HPDI fuel injectors and fuel system components, control software, and Westport’s high-pressure CNG smart tank system.
Westport said the technology can support engine ratings up to 500 horsepower and 1,850 lb-ft of torque, up to 10 miles per gallon equivalent, a driving range of more than 600 miles, lower emissions, and maintenance schedules comparable to standard diesel engines.
The company also positioned the HPDI fuel system as a pathway for hydrogen. Westport said HPDI-equipped engines can be applied and certified to run on natural gas, hydrogen, or blends of both fuels with minimal hardware changes. Unlike fuel cells, the company said an HPDI-equipped engine does not require 99.999% pure hydrogen, which could help avoid the need for a dedicated super-clean distribution system.
