California is reviving a fuel that dominated the 19th century, and the world is shocked by this blast from the past. A company has considered using a natural gas that had been used to power earlier automobiles, as well as Étienne Lenoir’s gas-powered car from the 1860s. This fuel has been brought to the modern automobile industry and is removing diesel from the equation entirely. It is a California-based company, Cummins, that revealed the power and the real-world performance of the X15N 15-liter natural gas engine. Capable of diesel-like torque, the X15N is transforming the modern global transport sector.
Bringing a 1860s fuel to 2025
While gas-powered vehicles may seem all too new, it isn’t entirely a novel fuel. Natural gas was the first fuel type used to power vehicles, and it was all thanks to the Belgian inventor Étienne Lenoir. Previously, internal combustion vehicles made use of coal gas from the 1860s. With both gasoline and diesel engines making a prominent stance in the 20th century, the entire premise of the gas-powered vehicle disappeared.
Now, in 2025, natural gas has found its way back into the world of automobility, being a sustainable and cleaner fuel option. The company taking the lead with natural gas fuel is Cummins, one of the main contenders in the heavy-duty engine manufacturing sphere in California.
More about the Cummins X15N
The gas fuel was brought to life in the Cummins X15N engine, which is a 15-liter natural gas engine that equates to diesel engines in terms of performance. The performance of the engine matches that of other vehicle engines in the heavy-duty trucking sphere. The prototype was tested on U.S. roads and showcased extreme elevations on Colorado’s 12,000-foot Loveland Pass. The X15N has shown what previous gas engines could not, and the X15N is ticking all the boxes in terms of range, power, and reliability.
Capable of 500 horsepower and 1,850 lb-ft of torque, the X15N has already been used by major industry players including UPS, Walmart, and Werner Enterprises. Cummins’ success in these fleets is evident and proves why this previous diesel contender would take to this gas engine alternative.
The general manager of Cummins’ alternative fuel division, Puneet Jhawar, mentioned that this newer alternative performs similarly to diesel but is a far cheaper and cleaner alternative. The X15N runs on RNG, which is a fuel created from organic waste from dairy farms. With RNG, gas emissions are reduced, removing carbon entirely from the atmosphere. With the use of RNG from dairy farms, 300% below-zero emissions are on offer, according to customers of Cummins. Water has also been considered as a fuel alternative instead of gasoline, but Cummins is convinced of their engine’s fuel choice.
The world’s take on the move away from diesel fuel
Cummins is keeping concerns about climate change at the forefront, offering a scalable alternative for many countries. With the X15N revisiting a fuel choice from the past, the demand for this gas type is growing, and Cummins has already ordered 40 major fleets, whereby 30% of them have never utilized natural gas before.
Such engines work with existing truck designs and at the same time offer a fueling possibility similar to that of diesel. Since there are approximately 800 or 900 public RNG fueling stations throughout North America, the need for such infrastructure for these gas-powered vehicles is also taken care of. It is believed that more RNG fueling stations are being constructed.
Cummins is set to offer fuel-flexible alternatives by 2027. Cummins is also looking at expanding their hydrogen offering. However, as it stands, Cummins is taking the lead on the RNG plants and is ensuring that RNG plants continue to multiply. With 250 RNG plants in existence, a further 100 are said to be in development too.
Europe and Asia are looking to the U.S. to see if the revival of this natural gas in this century is well worth it. Cummins surely thinks that it’s worth taking the risk. However, the beast that will end all existing fuels is yet to be determined.
