REV Group, a manufacturer of industry-leading specialty vehicle brands and a leading provider of parts and services, is introducing liquid natural gas (LNG) fueled engines in their Capacity TJ9000 L9N terminal tractors (earlier post).

Capacity’s Cummins L9N LNG engine, which powers the TJ terminal tractor, features a near-zero emissions certification. Further, LNG is more competitive in matching the duty cycles of a diesel-powered tractor compared to other alternative fuel solutions. This is important, as the time required for refueling equals lost time, and therefore lost profitability, for the customer.

The stainless-steel tank used by Capacity Trucks was designed by Chart Industries Inc. and provides an expected service life of 25 years—a match to the proven durability of the TJ9000 platform. With a tank volume of 127 gallons, the LNG tractor is set to exceed the total energy of Capacity’s standard 50-gallon Diesel tank.

The TJ9000 terminal tractor, powered by the L9N LNG engine, is set to take part in a case study performed by the California Energy Commission (CEC). Currently, an order of 20 units will operate for one year at the Port of Los Angles (POLA) in competition against fully-electric units manufactured by an industry competitor.

It is anticipated that the LNG units will fare well in competition due to the increased energy density, as electrical units will require refueling (charging) more frequently. In addition, more time is required to perform a charge than to fill an LNG tank (~1 hour vs. ~10 minutes).