Walmart embraces sustainability as it moves towards a zero-emission fleet

Partnered with Cummins and Chevron, Walmart’s first CNG-powered truck is on the road in North America

Last year, Walmart announced several sustainability initiatives among its Class 8 transportation fleet, with a vision to achieve zero emissions across global operations by 2040.

In line with this ambition, Walmart is debuting the first of five 15-liter compressed natural gas (CNG) engines to be incorporated into its fleet. Fitted with a Cummins X15N engine designed for heavy-duty transportation, the truck will be fueled by Chevron’s CNG, linked to renewable natural gas.

Fernando Cortes, Walmart’s Senior Vice President of Transportation, commented: “Walmart transportation is focused on the continuous piloting of solutions that aren’t just changing the industry, but are having a lasting impact on the world.”

As trucking historically relies on diesel engines, moving to natural gas is a significant step towards lowering emissions. This renewable gas is produced when biomethane from decomposing organic matter is captured, treated, and processed into natural gas.

“Working with partners like Walmart to test new products like the X15N gives Cummins valuable real-world data that helps us validate our engines prior to moving into full production,” said Puneet Jhawar, General Manager of Spark Ignited Products for Cummins. “Chevron has also been very helpful in our test; to help increase CNG fuel availability that will enable adoption of alternate technologies faster.”

The CNG-powered truck made its inaugural trip from Indiana to California, refueling at Chevron stations across the country to demonstrate the next era of lower carbon emissions.

On completion of this journey, the first-of-its-kind truck was featured at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in California, where attendees had chance to see the truck and even take a ride!