Hybrid and fuel cell-powered day cab drayage tractors are under development by Kenworth Truck Company to transport freight from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA, to warehouses and railyards in the Los Angeles basin.

A prototype Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell tractor, equipped with a Ballard Power System fuel cell, is being designed to provide true zero-emissions operation. Using the fuel cell to recharge the batteries will result in only water-based emissions. Lithium-ion batteries power a dual-rotor electric motor in the T680 day cab tractor, driving the rear tandem axle through a 4-speed automated transmission. The hydrogen truck is expected to be ready for initial track and on-road testing in the fourth quarter of this year.T680 Hybrid-Electric with CNG (left) and T680 with Hydrogen Fuel Cell. (Source: Kenworth)

A second prototype series, near-zero emissions hybrid-electric T680 day cab will use the currently available Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero NOx engine fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) to generate electrical power.

These two T680 tractors will be identical, with the exception of their power generation systems. Each of these trucks will have an electric-only range of approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers), and the on-board fuel — hydrogen or natural gas — will provide sufficient range for a full day in regional haul applications. These programs are supported by grants of $2.1 million per project from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), with Southern California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) as the prime applicant.

A third project received $4.8 million in funding from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), again with the SCAQMD as the prime applicant. Kenworth will build four additional, hybrid-electric T680 day cabs equipped with the Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero NOx engine operating on CNG, and will also support customer field tests of these units in Southern California drayage operations.