From Qingcheng Mountain in Chengdu to Chengdu Chuanhua Smart Logistics Port, Cummins has reached another milestone in a major city in Southwest China after a four-year hiatus.
On December 8, 2025, the Cummins 16N natural gas engine was officially launched at the Chengdu Chuanhua Smart Logistics Port. As a brand-new model of Cummins' multi-fuel engine platform, the Cummins 16N natural gas engine integrates six core capabilities: power, efficiency, reliability, intelligence, safety and protection. It is planned to have a maximum power of 720 horsepower and a maximum torque of 3,600 Nm, achieving a comprehensive fuel savings of 6% for the entire vehicle and significantly reducing operating costs.
After the press conference, Wang Kaijun, Vice President of Cummins Global and General Manager of Cummins China Engine Division, Chai Yongquan, Vice President of Cummins Global and General Manager of Cummins China Components Division, Sai Junfeng, Vice President of Cummins and Chief Technology Officer of Cummins China, Suo Guotao, Chief Engineer of Cummins China Engine Division, and Li Ziqiang, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Foton Cummins Engine Co., LTD. Cao Yongjun, the executive vice president of Dongfeng Cummins Engine Co., LTD., and other guests were interviewed by Sohu Commercial Vehicles.
In the interview, Cummins predicted that the demand for medium and heavy-duty trucks would remain stable in 2026, with no significant changes compared to 2025. The overall energy structure would also be relatively stable, among which the market structure and scale of natural gas would be basically the same as in 2025. Meanwhile, Cummins stated that the market performance of Cummins natural gas engines was good in 2025. In 2026, with the gradual increase in the production volume of Cummins 16N natural gas engines and the subsequent launch of more products, Cummins' share in the natural gas market will further increase.
In view of this, the two joint venture partners of Cummins are also well-prepared. Li Ziqiang disclosed that, considering the strong demand from customers for 16N natural gas engines, Foton Cummins has carried out dedicated production line renovations and capacity expansions for 16N natural gas engines, which will fully meet the customers' demands. Cao Yongjun disclosed that Dongfeng Cummins has made preparations for the production of 16N natural gas engines and will gradually introduce them to the market in different regions starting from the first half of 2026.
Cummins does not blindly pursue high horsepower. 16N can meet the demands of the mainstream market
In recent years, as customers' pursuit of efficiency has been increasing, the displacement and power of natural gas engines have continued to rise. In response, Suo Guotao, the chief engineer of Cummins China's Engine Division, stated that every power upgrade of Cummins is based on in-depth market data and real working conditions, and it will not blindly follow the trend of high-horsepower competition.
Cummins is also cautious about whether the trend of increasing displacement will continue in the future stage of National VII emission standards. Suo Guotao said that just as Cummins did not blindly increase the displacement after launching the 15-liter diesel engine four years ago, it adheres to the principle of not seeking to be the largest, but to be more suitable. In Suo Guotao's view, power is not necessarily the greater the better. An overly large displacement may even lead to "a big horse pulling a small cart", having adverse effects on driving smoothness, AMT matching, and actual gas consumption.
Wang Kaijun, vice president of Cummins globally and general manager of Cummins China Engine Division, also stated that based on the current actual demand, the 720 horsepower and 3,600 Nm planned for the Cummins 16N product can already fully meet the demands of the mainstream and even the harsh working conditions in the southwest and northwest of the current Chinese market.
Meanwhile, Wang Kaijun believes that the arrival of the double-trailer or multi-trailer market will drive the horsepower and torque of engines to continue to rise. However, the development of these markets relies on regulatory impetus. Before relevant regulations are clarified, the market demand for horsepower will still tend to stabilize. However, the platform of Cummins 16N has the relevant capabilities and is well-prepared for this. Once the regulations are improved, it can quickly meet market demands.
The six major technologies empower Cummins 16N to achieve a 6% overall vehicle energy saving
As a brand-new product developed based on user demands, the Cummins 16N natural gas engine has an outstanding fuel-saving capability, achieving a comprehensive fuel-saving rate of 6% for the entire vehicle. What technical supports lie behind this?
In an interview, Chai Yongquan, the global vice president of Cummins and the general manager of Cummins China Components Division, told Sohu Commercial Vehicles that the new product adopts a brand-new turbocharger, gas injection system, high-power braking technology, hydraulic automatic valve clearance adjustment technology, a brand-new after-treatment design and Smart Brain 3.0. The empowerment of the six major technologies has contributed to the success of the Cummins 16N.
Sai Junfeng, vice president of Cummins and Chief Technology Officer of Cummins China, disclosed that the Cummins 16N is a forward-developed engine tailor-maded for natural gas. It adopts a brand-new in-cylinder strong swirl combustion system, combined with a high compression ratio and deep Miller cycle, achieving a leap in basic thermal efficiency from the combustion principle. This design is fundamentally different from the natural gas engine modified from a diesel engine.
Meanwhile, centering on efficient combustion, the Cummins 16N is equipped with a continuous variable multi-dimensional control variable valve timing system (VVT), a high-temperature resistant dual-channel dual-bypass turbocharger, and a high-precision and high-reliability gas injection system that work in coordination to ensure high efficiency and stability under all operating conditions. Based on this, Cummins' Smart Brain 3.0 serves as the intelligent control center, achieving in-depth interaction and real-time dynamic adjustment among the engine, transmission, and after-treatment system. Coupled with the application of intelligent accessories, it has jointly achieved a leading gas consumption of 6% overall vehicle gas saving.
In addition, Chai Yongquan disclosed that the Cummins 16N adopts an innovative power braking technology and a mechanical dynamic balance design, which has solved the problem of uneven wear and achieved a braking power of up to 400kW. In addition, the optional hydraulic automatic valve clearance adjustment technology can extend the inspection cycle to 300,000 kilometers. In addition, the compact and efficient post-processing system, along with a comprehensive intelligent diagnosis and digital service network, ensure reliability and security, and can provide intelligent protection.
In 2026, the demand for medium and heavy-duty trucks will remain stable, and Cummins' share of natural gas will increase again
The new product has been launched. How will the market trend be? Wang Kaijun believes that the overall scale of China's medium and heavy truck market in 2026 is expected to be roughly the same as that in 2025, without experiencing significant fluctuations. In terms of energy structure, although fluctuations in diesel prices will affect the price difference with natural gas, natural gas, with its relatively stable cost advantage, is expected to maintain a stable market share structure as well.
When it comes to the natural gas power market, Cummins is full of confidence. Wang Kaijun said that in the past, Cummins achieved a good market share performance in the natural gas market with products such as 12-liter and 15-liter ones. With the launch of the 16N strategic product and the subsequent supplementation of a more diverse product lineup, Cummins' product matrix in the natural gas engine market will become more complete and powerful. It is believed that Cummins' share in the natural gas market will continue to rise in 2026.
Foton Cummins has made preparations for production capacity and is expected to perform well in the 16N market
As a partner of Cummins and an important production base for 16N engines, Foton Cummins is as optimistic as Dongfeng Cummins and has made capacity preparations to meet market tests.
Li Ziqiang, the deputy general manager of Beijing Foton Cummins Engine Co., LTD., told Sohu Commercial Vehicles that at this press conference, the display vehicles equipped with Foton Cummins 16N were already pre-ordered by customers, which reflects the urgent demand of the market. In the future, the Foton Cummins 16N will mainly be installed on high-end models of the Foton Auman Galaxy series and will become a powerful tool to break into the market of efficient long-distance logistics. "Li Ziqiang emphasized, 'We believe that this 16-liter high-power gas engine installed on the Foton Auman Galaxy train will surely become another money-making tool for our customers.'"
To meet the expected strong demand, Foton Cummins has already made early preparations. Li Ziqiang introduced that the Foton Cummins factory has carried out a dedicated production line transformation for 16N and planned a path for capacity expansion. In the future, through the optimization of production rhythms and flexible arrangements, the factory will have the capacity to strive for an annual output of 100,000 to 150,000 engines, providing a solid guarantee for the expansion of the 16N and the entire natural gas product line.
Cao Yongjun, the executive vice president of Dongfeng Cummins Engine Co., LTD., said that Dongfeng Cummins and Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles are working intensively on the final matching and optimization of the 16N engine, aiming to bring the product to the market in the most perfect condition. The overall pace is expected to gradually increase in volume starting from the first half of next year.