Freightliner has officially opened orders for its Fifth Generation Cascadia trucks, now available with the Cummins X15N engine, marking a significant step in the shift towards natural gas-powered heavy-duty trucks. The announcement, made at the ACT Expo in Anaheim, California, comes eight months after Cummins began full production of the X15N, which is part of its HELM engine platform designed to run on various fuel types, including natural gas, diesel, and hydrogen.
Production of the Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia, powered by the X15N, is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2025. The truck will be available in the 126-inch bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC) configuration, in both sleeper and day cab options, with the possibility of frame drilling preparations for CNG fuel tanks mounted on the frame or the back of the cab.
Greg Treinen, vice president of on-highway market development at Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), emphasized the growing importance of natural gas trucks in freight transportation. “Natural gas trucks are becoming increasingly important for on-highway freight transportation,” Treinen said in a statement. He highlighted the X15N as the first natural gas engine purpose-designed with the necessary power and torque for over-the-road applications, providing a reliable, sustainable solution for fleets looking to meet evolving demands.
The X15N offers a 10% improvement in fuel economy over Cummins’ previous 12-liter natural gas engine in similar duty cycles. Certified at 50 mg NOx, the engine delivers performance, durability, and power comparable to traditional diesel engines, making it suitable for both heavy-duty and vocational applications. It also supports efforts to reduce fleet carbon footprints and can be paired with additional Cummins components to further lower emissions.
Lyndon Jones, vice president of engine business North American sales and customer support at Cummins, noted that the X15N engine is opening up natural gas to a broader customer base. “Many existing natural gas customers are enjoying the additional power and torque available in the new big-bore engine,” Jones said. “The offering with Freightliner will bring more choice to the market as additional fleets look to add natural gas to their lineups.”
Both the Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia and the Cummins X15N engine are currently on display at Daimler Truck North America’s booth at the ACT Expo.