Cummins Westport Inc., the joint-venture manufacturer of low-emissions alternative-fuel engines, recently announced a new order from transit authorities in Beijing to supply 150 B-series natural-gas engines for transit vehicles there. The Beijing Pulblic Transportation Corp. operates 2,000 CWI engines in its transit fleet, and the new order involves units to be installed in new buses built locally.

CWI is jointly owned by Indiana-based Cummins Inc., a manufacturer of engines and electrical power-generation systems, and Westport Innovations, Vancouver, which develops natural-gas and hydrogen-fuel engines.

"This is a significant addition to Beijing's transit fleet and an important order for CWI," said Hugh Foden, CWI president. "We believe this order is representative of the potential growth and expanding markets that China offers in the natural gas vehicle industry."

The engines will be delivered to Beijing by midyear. Beijing is in the midst of a transit fleet replacement program to comply with commitments for cleaner air-quality standards made in advance of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Beijing currently has over 13,000 buses in its transit fleet and expects to grow that number to 18,000 by 2008.