An Exciting Journey
HPDI’s compelling journey started at University of British Columbia more than 30 years ago.
A visionary professor – Dr. Philip Hill – and his team of research students started to question how to reduce the emissions from heavy duty commercial vehicles without compromising the efficiency, performance and durability that made the diesel engine the workhorse of industry worldwide.
This small, dedicated team of innovative researchers developed a new fuel injection concept that retained compression-ignition, diesel-cycle thermodynamics by injecting two fuels – natural gas, along with a small quantity of diesel pilot fuel – into the combustion chamber of a diesel engine via a single, custom-designed fuel injector.
Creating a solution that would reduce emissions in long-haul trucks was their passion. Grounding this passion were the key pillars of their vision: Creating a product with commonality to existing diesel engines (thus no need to develop an engine from scratch, allowing for use ofexisting manufacturing plants), and the ability to utilize a range of low emissions fuels.
This new fuel injection concept became the heart of the High Pressure Direct Injection, or HPDI, fuel system.
Timeline
1995
Dave Demers and his team of research students become a company – Westport – based on a dual concentric needle injector.
1999
Westport moves to 1691 West 75th Ave, Vancouver.
2001-2009
- CWI (Cummins Westport Inc.) formed
- Bibendum challenge (Ford Focus and Isuzu vehicles)
- Hydrogen with BMW and Ford on monofuel applications
- Westport “GX” 15-litre HPDI engine
- ~1,300-1,500 trucks in North America and Australia
2010
Volvo and Westport announce they are working on HPDI
2012
Caterpillar and Westport announce joint development agreement for off-road
2018
Volvo LBG (liquefied biogas) trucks using HPDI fuel injection system start travelling the roads (> 6,000 today)
2020
Follow-on contract for new product development work with European-based OEM
2021
- New research project on HPDI using H2, instead of LBG/LNG, with a major OEM.
- Joint study with AVL, on the evaluation of the TCO of ICEs fuelled by hydrogen
- Successful start-up and trials
- Simulations and test results for H2 HPDI, show substantially higher thermal efficiency, with a much lower cost, are officially released after the 42nd International Vienna Symposium
- Joining forces with AVL and TUPY
2022
- Reaching brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of 52.5% with 260 bar gas injection pressure at mid-load (50% load) condition, corresponding to a 5% reduction in fuel consumption
- Further tests show that the technology could boast 20% higher power and torque than the base diesel engine
- IAA Transportation in Hannover (Germany), showcasing H2-fueled version truck
- Collaboration with Johnson Matthey to develop an emissions aftertreatment system tailored to H2 HPDI
2023
- Refuelling of a hydrogen truck, equipped with HPDI fuel system, at hydrogen station in Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Westport and Volvo Group sign a non-binding Letter of Intent to establish a joint venture
- Demonstration of H2-HPDI fuel system equipped truck in Madrid, Spain, in partnership with Mercadona – the biggest Spanish supermarket chain
- Agreement with a provider of locomotives and related equipment for the rail industry
- Real-life benefits are shown when around 40 tonnes of IKEA home furnishing products are hauled in Älmhult, Sweden, by a heavy-duty truck equipped with H2 HPDI fuel system
- Development program by a global heavy truck manufacturer to adapt its Next Generation LNG HPDI fuel system to meet the Euro 7 emissions requirements for heavy-duty vehicle applications
2024
- Proof-of-concept project with a leading global supplier of power solutions for marine applications to test HPDI fuel system utilizing methanol
- Westport Fuel Systems and Volvo Group establish the previously announced joint venture
- HPDI meets the ZEV requirements for heavy-duty commercial vehicles proposed by the European Commission, as part of the HD CO2 regulation.
- June 1st - the Joint Venture becomes operational, after the formal closing