Feb 16, 2010 9:27 AM

Navistar Inc has signed a concept development agreement with Clean Air Power Ltd to develop Navistar’s MaxxForce 13 big-bore engine to run on natural gas and clean diesel fuel for the North American market.

The program will utilize Clean Air Power’s Dual-Fuel combustion technology to deliver a MaxxForce 13 Advanced EGR engine that is fully compliant with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2010 on-highway diesel emissions, without use of liquid-urea SCR (selective catalytic reduction). Upon successful concept development, the two companies will move forward to product development and validation.

MaxxForce 13 natural gas engines using Clean Air Power’s Dual-Fuel combustion technology will initially target the regional haul tractor market with a goal of a achieving a 400-mile range.

“By working with Clean Air Power we will be developing a dual-fuel engine that will provide customers with a true big-bore natural-gas-powered engine,” said Jack Allen, president of Navistar’s North American Truck Group. “The MaxxForce 13 natural gas engine will meet Class 8 customer weight and performance requirements.”