Mack Trucks will provide additional natural gas-powered trucks and is moving forward to develop a hybrid vehicle.
Mack plans to offer natural gas-powered versions of the Mack Pinnacle and Granite models in 2013. Both models will utilize the Cummins Westport ISX12 G engine. Customer testing is scheduled to begin this year.
The addition of the 12-liter natural gas-powered models expands Mack’s current natural gas solutions to on-highway and construction applications. Mack already offers natural gas-powered TerraPro low entry and cabover refuse models.
Like their Mack TerraPro natural gas counterparts, the Mack natural gas-powered Pinnacle and Granite models will feature maintenance-free aftertreatment and require only a three-way catalyst to meet EPA 2010 and CARB emissions standards, something that will lower alternative fuel vehicle lifecycle costs.
Mack’s natural gas-powered trucks are available with compressed (CNG) or liquefied (LNG) fuel systems. However, the company also is investigating other alternative driveline technologies, including high pressure direct injection, which uses a combination of natural gas and a small amount of diesel in the combustion process, and DME (dimethyl ether), which can be produced from natural gas.
In addition, the company continues to move forward on development of diesel-electric hybrid TerraPro models, recently delivering additional low-entry test units to the New York City Department of Sanitation for evaluation.