April 5, 2024 Keep On Truckin’

Volume 27 | Issue 1

Kenworth Trucks builds innovative transportation solutions employing the latest technologies improving performance and energy efficiency.

Click here to read the complete illustrated article or continue below to read the text article.

In 1924, Harry Kent and Edgar K. Worthington started a business to build customized trucks capable of carrying heavy loads over difficult muddy logging roads in the Pacific Northwest. The new business headquartered in Seattle, Wash. combined their names to form the trucking company Kenworth.

The partners manufactured 80 trucks in the first year of operation. By 1925 production upped to nearly two customized trucks per week.

Fast forward to its centennial celebration in 2024, Kenworth is launching two Special Edition trucks, the T680 Signature, available in mid- and high-roof configurations, and the Wool 900L Limited, available in extended day cab, flat-top or studio sleeper options.

Both Special Edition models feature signature seats, serialized badging, unique trims, and paint options, as well as Kenworth advanced technologies and manufacturing processes that deliver higher fuel efficiency and lower cost of ownership. The Wool 900L, one of the longest of long-nosed conventionals at 130 inches from bumper to back-of-cab, as the name implies is limited to 900 production models.

All Kenworth trucks offer a suite of driver-optimized technologies:

• Digital Mirror System enhances visibility around the truck in all kinds of weather conditions; improved handling results in better fuel economy by up to 1.5 percent.
• Smartwheel provides tactile, eyes-on-the road function choices.
• Adaptive cruise control with stop and auto go modulates the throttle and brakes to keep truck at pre-set distance from the vehicle in front of it.
• Collision Mitigation detects when truck may be about to collide with another vehicle and alerts drier to take pre-emptive braking action.
• Side Object Detection visual and audible alerts of vehicles or objects entering the truck’s blind spots.
• Lane Departure Warning alerts driver of any unsignaled lane change for driver to make appropriate correction.
• Highway Detection Braking to Zero provides audible chime and braking when truck departs roadway.
• Lane Keeping Assist helps ensure driver has hands on wheel and is staying within lane markings.
• Torque Assisted Steering adjusts torque based on truck speed to improve driving experience.

Cleaner Trucks, Inside and Out

The first truck manufacturer to receive the EPA’s Clean Air Excellence Award, Kenworth is also at the forefront of truck electrification. Built on proven platforms, with superior visibility, reliability, maneuverability and driver comfort, the T680E Class 8 and K270E/K370E Medium Duty models combine state-of-the-art zero emission powertrains with comprehensive charging solutions and infrastructure support.

To further push the envelope for zero emissions trucking, Kenworth has embarked on a pilot hydrogen fuel cell class 8 tractor. Kenworth integrated Toyota’s latest advancements in hydrogen fuel cell technology into its flagship T680 on-highway truck. The T680 FCEV has a range of up to 450 miles at a top speed of 70 miles per hour, an ideal solution for weight-sensitive operators with short-distance deliveries.

Kenworth also aims to make traditional truck’s more energy efficient and sustainable, while also improving performance. One example is the recent introduction of new PACCAR TX-12 PRO automated transmission, available on select models, which promises higher performance and efficiency.

Kenworth also delivered the industry’s first 15-liter compressed natural gas (CNC) powered truck to UPS. The Cummins X15N meets both upcoming 2027 EPA emission requirements and CARB 2024 Low NOx standards; Kenworth is the first major truck manufacturer to offer an engine that meets CARB’s NOx emission standards. At the same time, the CNC truck offers diesel-like power and performance, making it appealing for regional and long-haul operations.

Just as Kenworth commemorates its 100th anniversary as a company, Kenworth’s Chillicothe, Ohio manufacturing plant celebrates 50 years since a Kenworth truck rolled off its assembly line.

The Kenworth Chillicothe plant is located on a 120-acre site, some 50 miles south of Columbus, Ohio. Beginning in 2018, Kenworth invested $300 million in the 622,000-squarefoot facility that features a number of advanced manuacturing technologies, including robotic assembly and a state-of-the-art paint facility. The plant received an Encouraging Environmental Excellence “E3” Gold Award from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for going beyond regulatory compliance requirements for environmental stewardship activities.

As a leader in the development of advanced diesel powertrains, zero emissions vehicles, connected truck technologies and advanced driver assistance systems, Kenworth is creating transportation solutions to drive a better world.

Subscribe to Industry Today