A liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled Peterbilt Model 386 Class 8 tractor will on display today during a special press event at the Annual Meeting of the Colorado Motor Carriers Assn. The truck, which was first introduced this March at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY, is now EPA SmartWay-designated. According to the company, it is the “first and only” EPA SmartWay designated alternative fuel vehicle.
Peterbilt’s product segment manager, Steve Weiner, will be onsite for the event, along with Dave Williams, chairman, Colorado Motor Carriers Assn.; FMCSA administrator, Anne Ferro; American Trucking Assns. chairman, Barbara Windsor; Colorado Regional Air Quality Council representative, Ken Lloyd; and Glen Vaad, chairman of the Colorado House Transportation & Energy Committee.
The program is open to Colorado Motor Carriers Assn. members and prospective members as well as to other members of the trucking industry and the press. It will be at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Avon, CO, beginning at 1:30 p.m. According to the group, many of the guest speakers will be on hand and available for interviews throughout the weekend-long annual meeting. The LNG-powered Peterbilt will also be on display.
Peterbilt announced the SmartWay certification of the LNG 386 last Friday in Denton, TX, noting that the EPA SmartWay Program has recognized Peterbilt’s Model 386 LNG truck as meeting the established fuel-saving, low-emission equipment requirements set for Class 8 trucks. The Model 386 LNG joins Peterbilt’s family of SmartWay designated vehicles which includes the Model 587, Model 386 and Model 384.
The alternative fueled vehicle is powered by the EPA-certified Westport GX engine, offering up to 475 hp. and 1,750 lbs.-ft. of torque. The 15L engine uses high pressure direct injection technology (HPDI), specialized cryogenic fuel tanks and associated electronic components to facilitate robust performance and reliable operation. According to Peterbilt, this technology reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 25% without compromising engine torque, power, fuel economy, or drivability.
