Diesel costs may not be hitting your wallet quite as hard, but that doesn’t mean the movement toward a greener, cost-conscious means of fueling has dissipated. This year, truck manufacturers will roll out liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas trucks – which are not only expected to burn cleaner than diesel, but also mean significantly lower fuel costs.
With an LNG or CNG-configured truck, potential fuel savings range from $0.35 to $1.73 per gallon, and the savings don’t stop there. Under the EPA’s Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Internal Revenue Service will give buyers of new alternative fuel motor vehicles – including natural gas vehicles and dual-fuel vehicles with a GVWR of more than 14,000 pounds – income tax credits from $2,500 up to $32,000.
Kenworth and Peterbilt both plan to produce Class 8 LNG/CNG trucks in 2009 (with production dates and pricing still undetermined), and each has undergone testing to prove the vehicles offer reduced emissions.
The LNG/CNG trucks will meet 2007 certification requirements for the U.S. EPA and the California Air Resources Board, and emit 33 percent less NOx emissions and 20 percent less greenhouse gases than diesel vehicles.
Green gets rolling
Kenworth worked with Westport Innovations, Clean Energy Fuels and Inland Kenworth in Southern California to develop the T800 LNG Class 8 truck, equipped with a Cummins ISX 15-liter engine and Westport HPDI fuel system. Together, the engine and fuel system use 95-percent natural gas and 5-percent diesel to supply 400 to 450 horsepower, and up to 1,750 pounds-feet of torque.
After the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach announced they would replace their Class 8 truck fleet following the approval of a $1.6 billion Clean Truck Superfund, Kenworth delivered more than 200 T800 LNG trucks to serve the ports, and several California municipalities requested trucks spec’ed as off-highway crane, dump and water trucks.
“So far, we’ve seen positive results,” says Andy Douglas, national sales manager, specialty markets, Kenworth. “Customers (who demo’ed the trucks) were happy with the performance, and appreciate it’s a cleaner, quieter operation with high horsepower.” Fuel economy will vary, depending on the driver and the truck’s specifications, but LNG should produce mileage results similar to diesel.
Peterbilt developed its Model 320 CNG for refuse applications and now has more than 50 in operation throughout the country. The company plans to introduce three new LNG models – the 367, 386 and 387 – by working with Westport Innovations in 2009.
Burn Clean
Natural gas is readily available in the United States, with production plants converting it to LNG or CNG, and then hauling it to distribution sites. Clean Energy currently operates in 14 states, with the majority in the western region of the country, but the company is considering expanding in additional areas.
“However, large fleets can actually have fueling and fuel maintenance stations installed on their sites,” says Shaunt Hartounian, marketing and sales, Clean Energy.
A dash-mounted display on Kenworth’s T800 allows drivers to monitor LNG level as well as the fuel system itself, and LNG fuel tanks keep the fuel in its liquid state at -260 degrees Fahrenheit. The tanks offer capacities up to 216 gallons – the same range as T800’s configured for 112 gallons of diesel.
When fueling, Hartounian says each LNG dispenser will dispense 45 gallons every five or six minutes, which is actually quicker than diesel.
Truck products
Propane pickup
Roush’s liquid propane injection system, manufactured for Ford F-150’s to operate solely on propane, provides the same horsepower, torque and drivability of an F-150 equipped with a gasoline engine. Available in regular, Super and SuperCrew cab styles with XL, XLT, STX or FX4 trim and three different bed lengths, the Roush propane-powered F-150 includes dedicated propane fuel lines, fuel rail assembly and a propane tank. The truck’s computer has been re-calibrated for optimum performance and fuel economy. The base liquid propane injection system is also available as an option.
Heavy lifter
Want an alternative means of lifting up to 1,000 pounds into the bed of your truck? Warn Works’ PullzAll Truck Crane lets users get more done with less effort by lifting heavy objects – such as a load of bricks or an engine block – into your truck’s bed. The crane bolts onto the bed and rotates on its base, while the boom moves vertically thanks to a powerful hydraulic ram, so the tailgate stays in place when you load objects.
Hood helper
Reduce the initial opening force of GM truck hoods from 66 to 22 pounds and turn a difficult two-handed operation into an easy one-handed operation with Monroe Truck Equipment’s MTE Hood Assist. Compatible with both stationary and tilting grilles, the hood assist installs without drills and can be used on GM models, including the C4500, C5500, C6500, C7500 and C8500.
Protect your bed
Rhino Linings’ SolarMax sprayed-on polyurethane lining – formulated with aliphatic elastomer – bonds to metal, fiberglass and wood surfaces while remaining flexible at temperatures from -40 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. It can be applied to either low or high pressure equipment for long-lasting color, UV protection and abrasion and impact resistance.
Diesel costs may not be hitting your wallet quite as hard, but that doesn’t mean the movement toward a greener, cost-conscious means of fueling has dissipated. This year, truck manufacturers will roll out liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas trucks – which are not only expected to burn cleaner than diesel, but also mean significantly lower fuel costs.
With an LNG or CNG-configured truck, potential fuel savings range from $0.35 to $1.73 per gallon, and the savings don’t stop there. Under the EPA’s Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Internal Revenue Service will give buyers of new alternative fuel motor vehicles – including natural gas vehicles and dual-fuel vehicles with a GVWR of more than 14,000 pounds – income tax credits from $2,500 up to $32,000.
Kenworth and Peterbilt both plan to produce Class 8 LNG/CNG trucks in 2009 (with production dates and pricing still undetermined), and each has undergone testing to prove the vehicles offer reduced emissions.
The LNG/CNG trucks will meet 2007 certification requirements for the U.S. EPA and the California Air Resources Board, and emit 33 percent less NOx emissions and 20 percent less greenhouse gases than diesel vehicles.
Green gets rolling
Kenworth worked with Westport Innovations, Clean Energy Fuels and Inland Kenworth in Southern California to develop the T800 LNG Class 8 truck, equipped with a Cummins ISX 15-liter engine and Westport HPDI fuel system. Together, the engine and fuel system use 95-percent natural gas and 5-percent diesel to supply 400 to 450 horsepower, and up to 1,750 pounds-feet of torque.
After the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach announced they would replace their Class 8 truck fleet following the approval of a $1.6 billion Clean Truck Superfund, Kenworth delivered more than 200 T800 LNG trucks to serve the ports, and several California municipalities requested trucks spec’ed as off-highway crane, dump and water trucks.
“So far, we’ve seen positive results,” says Andy Douglas, national sales manager, specialty markets, Kenworth. “Customers (who demo’ed the trucks) were happy with the performance, and appreciate it’s a cleaner, quieter operation with high horsepower.” Fuel economy will vary, depending on the driver and the truck’s specifications, but LNG should produce mileage results similar to diesel.
Peterbilt developed its Model 320 CNG for refuse applications and now has more than 50 in operation throughout the country. The company plans to introduce three new LNG models – the 367, 386 and 387 – by working with Westport Innovations in 2009.
Burn Clean
Natural gas is readily available in the United States, with production plants converting it to LNG or CNG, and then hauling it to distribution sites. Clean Energy currently operates in 14 states, with the majority in the western region of the country, but the company is considering expanding in additional areas.
“However, large fleets can actually have fueling and fuel maintenance stations installed on their sites,” says Shaunt Hartounian, marketing and sales, Clean Energy.
A dash-mounted display on Kenworth’s T800 allows drivers to monitor LNG level as well as the fuel system itself, and LNG fuel tanks keep the fuel in its liquid state at -260 degrees Fahrenheit. The tanks offer capacities up to 216 gallons – the same range as T800’s configured for 112 gallons of diesel.
When fueling, Hartounian says each LNG dispenser will dispense 45 gallons every five or six minutes, which is actually quicker than diesel.
