Westport announces new HPDI development contract with OEM partner
17 November 2020
Westport Fuel Systems announced a follow-on contract for new product development work with its current European-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner to apply Westport HPDI 2.0™ high pressure direct injection natural gas fuel system to an updated base engine platform. The program will incorporate new features for the resulting HPDI 2.0 fuel system as well as certification to meet Euro VI-E emission regulations that take effect in 2024.
“We see strong growth in the European heavy-duty LNG truck market driven by a number of factors, including increased product availability, an expanding LNG fueling network, purchase incentives and compelling ongoing operating cost savings,” said Westport CEO David Johnson. “HPDI 2.0 enables long-haul trucks to fully meet a fleet’s performance demands for payload, performance, and durability compared to state-of-the-art diesel vehicles and outperforms spark-ignited LNG trucks in real world operations. This new development program confirms that HPDI offers a viable compliance pathway for OEMs to achieve the 2025 heavy-duty CO2 emission reduction requirements and reflects our customer’s satisfaction with the progress we have made growing market share with cleaner, gaseous-fueled transportation solutions.”
The name of the OEM partner and the financial terms have not been disclosed.
In 2015, Westport and Volvo Group entered into an agreement for the development and supply of HPDI 2.0 technology for Volvo’s heavy-duty trucks over the next several years [4491]. In 2017, Volvo announced that Euro VI compliant FH LNG and FM LNG trucks with 13 L engines having fuel systems resembling the Westport HPDI 2.0 system would go on sale in 2018. The engine was rated at 338 kW at 1700-1900 rpm and 2300 Nm at 1050-1300 rpm. While neither company officially confirmed that the fuel system was Westport’s HPDI 2.0, media reports claimed otherwise [4492][4493]. Also, US SEC filings confirm that Westport’s HPDI 2.0 was commercially launched in Europe in 2018 [4494]. The aftertreatment system for the Euro VI HPDI engine included a DOC, DPF, urea SCR and ASC [4477].
Interestingly, in the EU funded HDGAS project in which Volvo developed an engine similar to that launched in 2018, Westport was responsible primarily for the LNG pump and Bosch for the dual fuel injectors [4495][4496].
Source: Westport