Kenworth Truck Company is adding a natural gas option for the Kenworth T880, the company’s flagship vocational truck. The announcement was made August 15 during a ride-and-drive event for trucking magazine editors at the PACCAR test track north of Seattle WA.
The Kenworth T880 daycab and 52-inch mid-roof sleeper configurations now can be specified with the factory-installed Cummins Westport ISX12 G 400-horsepower natural gas engine with 1,450 lb-ft of torque. The ISX12 G is available with manual, automatic, and Eaton’s UltraShift Plus transmission options, including 10-speed LAS and 13-speed MHP series.
“Kenworth continually expands our product offerings to meet customer needs and requirements,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. “The new, natural-gas powered Kenworth T880 especially appeals to vocational fleets and truck operators interested in the T880’s excellent durability, reliabilty and driver comfort combined with cost-efficient natural gas.”
The natural gas option is ideal for Kenworth T880 petroleum hauling, dump trucks, mixer, refuse, pickup and delivery vehicles, and other applications operating with up to a maximum of 80,000-pounds gross combined vehicle weight (GCVW).
The Cummins Westport ISX12 G can run on either CNG (compressed natural gas) or LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel systems. The engine uses a maintenance-free, three-way catalyst and does not require a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank, diesel particulate filter (DPF) or selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology. Kenworth works with such companies as Agility Fuel Systems, Trilogy Engineered Solutions, and McNeilus to provide natural gas tanks and fueling systems.
The Kenworth T880 also includes an air-assisted hydraulic clutch, complex reflector headlamps, five-piece Metton hood for easier and faster repairs, and lightweight, factory-installed lift axles. The T880 uses Kenworth's 2.1-meter wide, stamped aluminum cab, which is robotically assembled. The cab has a comfortable 23 inches of room between the seats.
The Kenworth T880 entered full production at late 2013.