Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/815349
commercial carrier journal | april 2017 55 EQUIPMENT: ALTERNATIVE FUELS "LNG has somewhat fallen out of favor in the industry," Tam says. "e issue has been that it's more expensive [due to dis- pensing], even though it kind of does address the range issue." Douville says CNG adoption has been aided by the fact that fleets can experiment with the fuel on a smaller scale, and with less investment, than LNG. "You need a critical mass to open an LNG station," he says. "If it's cold LNG, you need about 20 trucks, and if it's warm LNG, you need about 40 trucks. at becomes significant for fleets that would like to step towards it rather than run towards it." Tam says that no engines currently being manufactured require LNG, but most natural gas engines can burn it. "e consumer has spoken," he says. UPS (CCJ Top 250, No. 1) last year invested $100 million in CNG fueling stations and plans to build six more while deploy- ing 390 new CNG tractors and terminal trucks. UPS also is adding 50 LNG trucks and last year deployed 50 LNG vehicles in Indianapolis, Chicago, Earth City, Mo., and Nashville, Tenn., where the company has existing LNG stations. In addition to CNG and LNG, other options are becoming more available. Just last year, Nikola Motor Co. promised the launch of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered Class 8 tractor – a pros- pect that has Tam excited. "I tend to root for the underdog, so I want to see it be a success," he says. "e technology works. e applica- tion of the technology is the part [NMC founder Trevor Milton] has got to figure out how to make work." Tam and Milton aren't the only ones excited by the pos- sibilities of hydrogen. "We are defiantly drinking the hydrogen cocktail," says Mike Britt, UPS global director of maintenance and engineering. Britt says UPS has been working on a fuel-cell product in its 22,000-pound trucks since 2010. "A hydrogen fuel cell that pro- pels electric vehicles is the pathway to zero emissions. We really believe renewable hydrogen is the way to go." Hydrogen, LNG and CNG are only a small sampling of the alternative fuels running the streets in UPS vehicles – part of what Britt calls the company's "rolling laboratory." Last year, UPS eclipsed 1 billion miles using alternative fuels since 2010. Propane set to pop? UPS has almost 1,400 LNG tractors in the United States and 19 biomethane tractors internationally. Almost 1,800 CNG package cars have been deployed in the United States. Among the fuels in use in the company's rolling laboratory are electric/hydraulic hybrid, electric, ethanol, LNG, CNG, biomethane, renewable diesel and propane autogas. Propane autogas has emerged as a strong player in the Class 1-7 market. Michael Taylor, director of autogas business development for the Propane Education and Research Council, attributes its market penetration to a propane-fueled vehicle's lower cost of ownership from initial spec to retirement. "Seven hundred-plus school districts use more than 12,500 propane-powered school buses to transport 700,000 kids to and from school every day," Taylor says. "e fuel is working excep- tionally well in fleets of all types." Based largely on gasoline-fired engines, propane hasn't yet found a footing in Class 8. e largest propane engine on the market to-date is Power Solutions International's 8.8-liter with 339 hp and 495 lb.-. of torque – an engine currently available factory-installed in Freightliner's S2G. "e 8.8-liter is probably good for a baby 8, but we haven't re- ally cracked the Class 8 heavy transport market yet," Taylor says. "But we do have Class 8 in our sights." UPS has almost 1,200 propane-powered package cars as part of its overall investment strategy that calls for about 11 percent of all new vehicles purchased to be powered by alternative fuel. Power Solutions In- ternational's 8.8-liter propane engine provides 339 hp and 495 lb.-ft. of torque. Power Solutions International's 8.8-liter propane engine is available factory-installed in Freightliner's S2G.