Cummins Westport Leads Deployment of Natural Gas Heavy-Duty Trucks on Highway 401 Corridor

VANCOUVER, June 23 -- Cummins Westport Inc. (CWI) announced today that it will lead Canada's first multi-fleet deployment of natural gas heavy- duty trucks on Highway 401, the country's busiest urban corridor.

Cummins Westport will work with a consortium including Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. to deploy trucks using 15-liter, heavy-duty engines operating on liquefied natural gas (LNG) along Highway 401 between Toronto and Windsor, Ontario. Funding for the two-year "Clean Air Corridor" project is provided by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

SDTC, a not-for-profit, arms length organization created by the Government of Canada, will provide $1 million (US$740,000) for the Clean Air Corridor demonstration. NRCan is contributing a further $400,000 (US$296,000) towards the project that will determine the performance and emissions reductions of trucks using proprietary Westport-Cycle(TM) technology in regular on-highway operation.

"SDTC's mandate is to look for solutions to reduce not only greenhouse gases, but harmful criteria air contaminants," said SDTC President and CEO Vicky J. Sharpe. "Westport technology reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and carbon dioxide emissions. It is a home-grown solution that is ready to make a difference in the transportation sector."

"Companies such as Westport are leading by example by investing in new, innovative technologies," said the Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. "These technologies will also help Canada reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and provide new economic opportunities for Canadians."

The Honourable David Anderson, Minister of the Environment, said, "This project is an excellent example of the growing commitment of Canada's transportation sector to our national climate change and clean air goals. A successful demonstration of this innovative engine technology has the potential to make a significant, long-term contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the commercial trucking industry."

The first two trucking companies deploying Westport-Cycle trucks along the 401 Corridor are Challenger Motor Freight Inc. of Cambridge, Ontario and Bruce R. Smith Limited of Simcoe, Ontario. Each will use five heavy-duty trucks, equipped with 450-horsepower 15-litre ISX G natural gas engines in regular highway service. These engines match the power, torque and fuel efficiency of an engine operating on diesel fuel. In addition, they produce significantly lower emissions of particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen and greenhouse gases.

"It's a great opportunity for us to showcase our 450-horsepower ISX G engine along Canada's busiest thoroughfare, where the biggest emissions gains can be made," said Hugh Foden, President of Cummins Westport. "As the highest performance and most efficient alternative-fuelled engine developed today, the ISX G will make a compelling case for other fleet operators hauling goods along the 401 corridor. This Clean Air Corridor project is the model Cummins Westport plans to employ to expand the use of LNG-powered heavy-duty trucks in urban centres in Canada and the US."

Arunas Pleckaitis, Vice President, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. said, "We are pleased to be part of this project to demonstrate efficient and low- emission solutions for the Canadian heavy-duty trucking industry. "We believe LNG will prove to be good for the fleets' bottom line as well as the environment which benefits us all."

Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. will source and deliver LNG to customer sites in London and Toronto. Canada's largest natural gas distribution company, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. provides gas to about 1.6 million industrial, commercial and residential customers in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. It is owned and operated by Enbridge Inc., a leader in energy transportation and distribution in North America and internationally.

Cummins Westport Inc., a joint venture of Cummins Inc. and Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX: WPT), develops and markets low emissions alternative-fuelled engines manufactured by Cummins. Cummins is a global power leader in engines, electrical power generation systems and related technologies. Westport is a world leader in the development of clean natural gas- and hydrogen-fuelled engines.