The Nortrans truck carries the same heavy payloads as diesel-powered units while producing fewer emissions.
KELOWNA – Nortrans has launched one of Canada’s first commercially deployed Kenworth T880 natural gas trucks powered by a Cummins X15N engine.
The vehicle is already hauling full-weight loads from Revelstoke to Oroville, WA for long-time partner Gorman Bros. Lumber Ltd. The Nortrans truck carries the same heavy payloads as diesel-powered units while producing fewer emissions. The natural gas-powered unit offers a practical solution for industries such as forestry, building materials, and steel and aluminum, and is an alternative to conventional diesel trucks.
This truck has the ability to match diesel-class torque and reliability while emitting significantly fewer pollutants. Equipped with the Cummins X15N natural gas engine and an Eaton 18-speed Endurant transmission, the truck delivers commercial-grade performance with lower environmental impact.
According to FortisBC, natural gas vehicles compared to diesel produce up to 95 percent fewer nitrogen oxides, up to 30 percent fewer greenhouse gases, and virtually no particulate matter.
The project came to life through the contribution of multiple partners: Natural Resources Canada funding through the Green Freight Program, Kenworth and Inland Kenworth, Cummins, Eaton Transmissions: Fortis BC and Clean Energy B.C., along with Gorman Bros. Lumber.
The collaboration is one of the few in Canada delivering natural gas freight solutions at scale.
“At FortisBC, we have been working with fleet operators for more than 15 years to move away from diesel and toward lower carbon fuels such as compressed natural gas,” says Della Bond, account manager, low carbon transportation at FortisBC. “This new CNG truck represents another step forward, helping operators lower emissions and reduce fuel costs while maintaining the reliability they require.”
Compared to only a few years ago, infrastructure for natural gas refueling is expanding quickly. FortisBC and Clean Energy B.C. are adding more public stations along key corridors including Abbotsford, Kamloops, Kelowna, Calgary, and Edmonton.
Nortrans is proving that natural gas trucking is a present reality, and the Cummins X15N natural gas engine delivers scalability, practicality, and environmental responsibility in one solution. As one of the first projects of its kind in Canada, this truck represents a turning point in the journey toward lower emission freight.
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