VANCOUVER, B.C. (Jan. 29, 2001) — Westport Innovations, the Vancouver, B.C.-based developer of alternative fuel technologies, said independent tests showed that its natural gas fuel system can meet 2002 emissions standards while maintaining the full torque of the same engine running on diesel.

Westport plans to use the test results to help its California customers to apply for approximately $40,000 US to $70,000 US per truck in low-emissions incentive funds. During the next year, Westport plans to upfit up to 30 heavy-duty trucks, mostly for sale in California.

Westport is bringing to market a heavy-duty truck powered by the Cummins ISX 400 diesel engine. Westport equips each engine to operate on natural gas, with a small amount of diesel fuel as a pilot to assist with ignition. Upfitting takes place at a newly commissioned facility in Sacramento, Calif., owned by Cummins West, a distributor of Cummins engines.

“Westport’s low-emissions natural gas trucks are indistinguishable from standard diesel-fuel trucks in terms of ability to move cargo,” said David Demers, Westport’s president and CEO.

The emissions and performance test for this engine and fuel system was conducted by an independent U.S.-based emissions testing laboratory. The test verified that the Cummins ISX engine using the Westport fuel system produced emissions below the EPA’s October 2002 ceilings, while torque precisely matched the standard diesel fuel version of the ISX at all points.