March 1, 2023. Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) joins Hyundai Motor Company and New Holland Agriculture North America at the annual World Ag Expo this week in displaying two breakthrough, first-of-their-kind technologies. SoCalGas’ booth will showcase Hyundai’s Class 8 XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty truck, equipped with a 180 kW fuel cell system and an e-motor with a maximum output of 350 kW, to support the demands of commercial fleet users. The booth will also display New Holland’s T6.180 Methane Power tractor, the first commercially available tractor powered by a sustainable fuel source in agriculture, operating on renewable natural gas (RNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG).
“Experts and policymakers are recognizing that a broad set of tools, including clean fuels like renewable natural gas and clean renewable hydrogen, and carbon management, are needed to achieve California’s climate and air goals by 2045,” says Don Widjaja, Vice President of Customer Solutions at SoCalGas. “SoCalGas is excited to partner with New Holland and Hyundai at the World Ag Expo to highlight technologies that are not only clean but can also effectively meet the transportation needs of the agricultural industry.”
SoCalGas continues to move forward in its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045. The company has already achieved a 37% reduction in fugitive methane emissions, surpassing the State’s goal of 20% by 2025, and is nearing the State’s goal of a 40% reduction by 2030. SoCalGas has also set a benchmark to operate a 100% zero-emissions over-the-road fleet by 2035, and its Angeles Link project could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from hard-to-electrify parts of the California economy like heavy-duty trucking.
Hyundai Motor Company is also playing a crucial role in creating an emissions-free, hydrogen fuel cell heavy duty truck ecosystem. The XCIENT Fuel Cell tractor model has a driving range of up to 450 miles, requires less time to refuel than its electric counterpart, which helps maximize efficiency, and produces only a single byproduct: pure H2O. The truck features an extremely robust hydrogen storage tank with multiple levels of protection to safeguard against accidental leaks and punctures.
New Holland, a clean energy leader in the development of renewable fuels and emissions reduction systems, introduced its breakthrough sustainable agriculture technology to the U.S. market last year. “The T6.180 Methane Power tractor is an important step forward on the path to decarbonizing agriculture in California. It allows farmers to grow crops and use agricultural waste to generate RNG to power their tractor, achieving near-zero CO2 emissions,” said Joe Boufford, Product Marketing Manager for Mid-Range Tractors at New Holland.
The tractor produces 98% less particulate matter compared to emission limits allowed under European Stage V emissions regulations and can provide up to a 30% reduction in running costs compared to its diesel counterpart. A tractor fueled by CNG reduces CO2 emissions by 10-15%, overall emissions by 80%, with near-zero emissions achieved when fueled by RNG.