CleanFuel USA, a supplier of alternative fuel infrastructure and liquid propane engine systems, announced a partnership with Capacity of Texas to develop and certify the country's first terminal trucks using its liquid propane injection engine on a General Motors 8-liter platform.
The truck is projected to hit the market in 2012.
The new line of Capacity propane-powered off-road trucks is targeted to meet the demand for alternative-fueled vehicles in port communities that are challenged to comply with stricter emissions rules. This is a particularly vital issue for ports operating in counties that are designated as "non-attainment" or "maintenance" areas under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which the EPA uses to enforce emissions reductions.
The duty cycles of a typical terminal truck are relatively severe. The trucks are rarely non-operational and move multiple trailers of freight at one time. To maximize torque, the vehicles are geared low, achieving speeds of 25-40 mph. The large loads the vehicles are required to tow result in high fuel consumption; double that of a comparable on-highway vehicle. The company says a key benefit for fleets considering a switch to propane is that CleanFuel's 8-liter LPI engine, 33,000 pounds GVWR, offers the same horsepower, torque and performance as a gasoline-powered vehicle.
The Propane Education and Research Council approved a $2.4 million grant to support the development of the trucks. Allison Transmission, CleanFual, Capacity, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, GM and Powertrain Integration are all project stakeholders.
The truck is projected to hit the market in 2012.
The new line of Capacity propane-powered off-road trucks is targeted to meet the demand for alternative-fueled vehicles in port communities that are challenged to comply with stricter emissions rules. This is a particularly vital issue for ports operating in counties that are designated as "non-attainment" or "maintenance" areas under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which the EPA uses to enforce emissions reductions.
The duty cycles of a typical terminal truck are relatively severe. The trucks are rarely non-operational and move multiple trailers of freight at one time. To maximize torque, the vehicles are geared low, achieving speeds of 25-40 mph. The large loads the vehicles are required to tow result in high fuel consumption; double that of a comparable on-highway vehicle. The company says a key benefit for fleets considering a switch to propane is that CleanFuel's 8-liter LPI engine, 33,000 pounds GVWR, offers the same horsepower, torque and performance as a gasoline-powered vehicle.
The Propane Education and Research Council approved a $2.4 million grant to support the development of the trucks. Allison Transmission, CleanFual, Capacity, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, GM and Powertrain Integration are all project stakeholders.
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