Celebrating the 1,000th natural gas truck – a Freightliner M2 112 (CNG)
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA), headquartered in Portland, Oregon, has delivered its 1000th natural gas truck, the first commercial vehicle manufacturer in North America to achieve such a milestone. DTNA turned over the key to its 1,000th natural gas truck, a Freightliner M2 112 compressed natural gas (CNG) truck with a Cummins Westport ISL G engine, to customer Ryder System, Inc. (Ryder) during a ceremony to commemorate the milestone at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.
The Freightliner M2 112 is powered by a factory produced Cummins Westport ISL G 8.9 liter natural gas engine. The 1,000th Freightliner natural gas vehicle was manufactured at DTNA’s plant in Mt. Holly, North Carolina.
Daimler’s natural gas truck technology offers many economic and environmental benefits without sacrificing performance. In addition, natural gas vehicles offer fuel cost saving potential with natural gas fuel costs 30 to 40 percent less than diesel, based on current prices. Natural gas vehicles also produce significantly lower amounts of harmful emissions, cancer-causing pollutants, and greenhouse gases.
“DTNA’s 1,000th natural gas truck is an important milestone and a strong example of our dedication to manufacturing high-performance, low-emission vehicles that help our customers save on fuel costs,” said Bob Carrick, vocational sales manager, natural gas Freightliner trucks for Daimler Trucks North America. “These vehicles not only save our customers money, they also provide air quality benefits in the communities where they are deployed.”
DTNA has sold 3,600 natural gas powered conventional commercial vehicles across its Daimler Trucks North America brands, including Thomas Built Buses and Freightliner Custom Chassis. The company’s commitment to green technologies is part of parent company Daimler AG’s global “Shaping Future Transportation” initiative, which is focused on reducing pollutants, carbon dioxide and fuel consumption through the utilization of clean, efficient drive systems and alternative fuels.
(This article compiled using information from a Daimler Trucks North America LLC press release)
