Westport says it is nearing commercialization of the next generation of its high-pressure direct-injection natural gas technology – Westport HPDI 2.0 – on the Weichai Westport WP12 engine platform.
The WP12 HPDI is China's first engine featuring Westport HPDI technology. The Weichai Westport joint venture plans to release 30 trucks for customer validation through 2014, with factory production expected to start in 2015.
Also, Weichai and Westport have announced that they will be developing the 10-liter Weichai Westport WD10 engine with Westport HPDI 2.0. Weichai Westport will provide funding for the development, with Westport supplying key components and engineering support. This program is expected to take approximately two years, with product availability planned for 2016.
‘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 percent year over year,’ says 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.’
