Cummins Westport, DOE, and NREL Partner to Deliver Next Generation Natural Gas Engine Three Years Ahead of U.S. Regulations.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Cummins Westport Inc. and Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX: WPT)

Cummins Westport Inc., in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), today announced its intent to commercialize an engine for medium-duty truck, refuse and urban transit markets that meets the stringent 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions standards and 2007 California Air Resources Board (ARB) urban bus standards. Scheduled for commercial launch in 2007, the engine will be introduced three years ahead of the EPA emissions deadline.

Cummins Westport will work with NREL to develop a next generation natural gas engine that meets the 2010 targets without the need for expensive aftertreatment systems. The advanced engine is also expected to have improved thermal efficiency and power density relative to current natural gas engines.

"We are extremely pleased by test results to date with our chosen technology path and excited at the prospect of offering this solution to customers well ahead of federal and state regulations," said Hugh Foden, President of Cummins Westport Inc. "The availability of a high performance engine with ultra-low emissions bodes well in the fight against deteriorating urban air quality and climate change. Our solution should offer significant economic as well as environmental value to customers."

Cummins Westport and NREL are funding the project under a cost-sharing contractual agreement, with NREL contributing an initial US$600,000 for the first year of work that will commence immediately. NREL's participation over the life of the project is anticipated to be roughly US$2 million. The project builds on a previous Next Generation Natural Gas Vehicle (NGNGV) award that Cummins (a partner in the Cummins Westport joint venture) received to develop and demonstrate advanced natural gas engine technologies. That project, co-funded by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, is making progress toward achieving EPA 2010 emissions levels in the laboratory using low-cost equipment.

The EPA currently regulates four major pollutants for heavy-duty applications: oxides of nitrogen (NOx), one of the main precursors to ozone, particulate matter (PM), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) and carbon monoxide (CO). In 2007, when new standards for NOx and PM are introduced, Cummins Westport's advanced natural gas engine will meet the 2010 NOx standards (0.2 grams/brake-horsepower hour), which are 83% lower than the 2007 phase in provision of the EPA legislation. As with Cummins Westport's existing spark-ignited natural gas engines, PM emissions for the new engine will be at or below 2010 levels without a particulate trap. Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be at least 17% lower than the cleanest diesel engine available. Carbon monoxide and NMHC emissions are anticipated to be at or below the 2010 standard.

Cummins Westport Inc., a joint venture of Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) and Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT), manufactures and sells the world's widest range of low-emissions alternative fuel engines for commercial transportation applications such as trucks and buses. Cummins is a global power leader in engines, electrical power generation systems and related technologies. Westport Innovations is the leading developer of technologies that allow engines to operate on clean-burning fuels such as natural gas, hydrogen, and hydrogen-enriched natural gas (HCNG).

NREL manages DOE's NGNGV activity in partnership with the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the California Energy Commission. The NGNGV activity focuses on development of advanced, commercially viable medium- and heavy-duty natural gas engines and vehicles that meet the EPA's approaching emissions regulations for 2007 and 2010. The ultimate goal is more widespread use of natural gas vehicles, which would reduce U.S. dependence on imported petroleum.

Note: This document contains forward-looking statements about Cummins Westport's business, operations, technology development or to the environment in which it operates, which are based on Cummins Westport's estimates, forecasts and projections. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, or are beyond Cummins Westport's control. Consequently, readers should not place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. In addition, these forward-looking statements relate to the date on which they are made. Cummins Westport disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.