The company has launched final customer validation units of next generation Westport™ HPDI 2.0 on Weichai Westport WP12 platform. This product is China’s first engine featuring this technology, delivering the power and performance of a base diesel engine, while replacing up to 95% of diesel with natural gas. Weichai Westport plans to release 30 trucks for customer validation through 2014 with factory production expected to start in 2015. The WP12 with HPDI 2.0 will be certified to meet China V emissions standards.
“We are entering the largest market for natural gas trucks demonstrated by our joint venture with over 60,000 natural gas engines sold by Weichai Westport in the last two years, a growth of approximately 100% year over year,” said David Demers, CEO of Westport. “We have not only found common ground for success in China but are forging ahead with a second program aimed at making the benefits of advanced Westport HPDI 2.0 technology available on the majority of the natural gas engines sold by Weichai Westport.”
As part of Weichai’s ongoing commitment to running natural gas and offering its customers diesel-like performance, Weichai and Westport have agreed to develop the 10-liter Weichai Westport WD10 engine with HPDI 2.0. The joint venture will provide funding for the development with Westport supplying key components and engineering support. Due to commonality with the WP12, the program is expected to take approximately two years with product availability planned for 2016.
The current generation Weichai Westport WD10 and WP12 natural gas engines, using lean burn spark ignited technology, account for about 75% of Weichai Westport’s engine unit sales.
Source: Westport Innovations Inc.
