Kenworth Adds T440 Truck
Kenworth has introduced a T440 truck with a Cummins Westport ISL G engine that can operate on CNG or LNG. The T440, available for order now, has a gross vehicle weight ranging from a heavy Class 7 up to a light Class 8 truck.
The ISL G engine is 2010-compliant without the use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) or a diesel particulate filter (DPF)
There is growing demand in CNG and LNG vehicles across the United States and Canada. The natural gas powered Kenworth T440 offers outstanding horsepower, torque and performance and provides an excellent, low-emission and cost effective transportation solution for local and regional haul fleets, said Gary Moore, Kenworth assistant general manager for marketing and sales.
US EPA & DOT Finalize GHG and Efficiency Rules for Motor Vehicles
April 2, 2010 | Source: NGVAmerica | USA
Favorable outcomes for NGVs following industry submissions
On April 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) issued final regulations paving the way for new greenhouse gas emission controls and fuel efficiency requirements. The rules cover model years 20122016 and, when fully phased-in, will require that passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles meet a combined average emissions level of 250 grams of carbon dioxide per mile (225 g/mi for cars, 298 g/mi for light trucks), equivalent to 35.5 miles per gallon (MPG) (39.5 mpg for cars, 29.8 mpg for light trucks). EPA has said that the new rules will add an average of $950 to the cost of new vehicles.
EPAs original proposal included a fleet-average for CO2 emissions AND a per-vehicle cap on methane and nitrous oxide emissions. NGVAmerica the Canadian NGV Alliance and several of their members argued that the methane cap could impede the introduction of light-duty NGVs, and, further, that it was unnecessary since it has been demonstrated that the full-fuel cycle greenhouse gas emissions of NGVs are less than gasoline vehicles even taking into account their methane emissions. The associations proposal that EPA simply allow NGV manufacturers to meet a carbon dioxide equivalent standard for greenhouse gas emissions was accepted. The final rule gives manufacturers the option of complying with a CO2 equivalent standard or alternatively meeting the caps proposed for methane and nitrous oxide.
EPA also finalized several provisions in the rules that should provide incentive for manufacturers to produce NGVs. The rule provides significant greenhouse gas emission credits for dedicated NGVs produced in model years 20122015. The rules also leave in place the current fuel economy credits for dedicated vehicles. Bi-fuel vehicles also can earn greenhouse gas emission credits under the rule for years 20122015; for purposes of the credits the vehicles will be assumed to operate on alternative fuel 50 percent of the time.
NGVAmerica says the new rules will generally not apply to aftermarket conversions. This is because there is an exemption for small entities (1,000 employees for vehicle manufacturers and 750 employees for engine and parts manufacturing). There also is a separate exemption for small volume manufacturers who produce less than 5,000 vehicles per year. It is likely that, at least for a while, most conversion manufactures will satisfy the Small Business Administrations definition of a small entity, or will have fewer than 5,000 annual sales. EPA intends to address coverage of these other companies in a later rulemaking.
U.S. Department of Energy Convenes City Leaders from 25 Markets for Solar America Cities 3rd Annual Meeting
April 13, 2010
The U.S. Department Energy (DOE) today announced the commencement of the 3rd Annual Solar America Cities Meeting, which is being held in Salt Lake City, Utah, one of DOE's Solar America Cities.
Through its Solar America Cities program, DOE has formed strategic partnerships with 25 cities across the nation. These federal-city partnerships are intended to accelerate the adoption of solar technology by engaging city governments because they are significant users of electricity, regulatory entities, and key intermediaries to other stakeholders within their jurisdiction. As the nation's centers of electricity consumption, cities are uniquely positioned to reduce global climate change, strengthen America's energy independence, and support the transition to a clean energy economy by converting to solar energy sources.
Report Emphasizes Need to Reduce U.S. Consumption of Petroleum
The price of oil is currently hovering near $80 per barrel, but that doesn't include the potential economic costs to the United States that would be caused by disruptions in oil supply, according to a recent discussion paper by Resources for the Future (RFF), an independent research group. That report estimated the oil security premium for domestically produced oil at about $2.28 per barrel in 2008, rising to $4.45 by 2030, in constant 2007 dollars. In contrast, the oil security premium for imported oil starts at about $4.45 per barrel in 2008 and rises to $6.82 by 2030. While that analysis suggests that emphasizing domestic oil production over foreign imports has some advantages, the authors note that the security premium is minor compared to the current and future direct costs of oil, which the authors project to increase to more than $130 per barrel by 2030. Given that high price, the report concludes that the best policy would be to emphasize reductions in U.S. petroleum consumption, regardless of the source of oil.
Full Story
Upcoming Clean Cities/MotorWeek Episode
Segment: Bakersfield Electric Trolley
Episode #: 2933
Airing date: April 17, 2010
Channel: PBS and SPEED
Bakersfield, Californias new electric bus is the focus of this weeks Clean Cities Success Story. Pacific Gas and Electric customized an electric bus to look like a historic Bakersfield electric trolley that now serves downtown businesses along a one-mile loop. The electric trolley-bus, which saves 1,250 gallons of petroleum fuel for every 10,000 miles travelled, is a joint effort between local government and private enterprise.
Produced by Maryland Public Television's MotorWeek program, this short segment will air on PBS stations nationwide starting April 17, 2010 (in the regular weekly MotorWeek timeslot on your local PBS station). It will also be broadcasted on the SPEED Channel on cable and satellite networks beginning April 24, 2010.
For show times in your area, check the MotorWeek and SPEED Channel Web sites.
Study: Natural Gas Can Fuel 1/3 of Medium/Heavy-Duty Trucks by 2035
April 14, 2010
The Center for American Progress, which is closely associated with the Obama Administration, released a study this week that concludes that creating incentives to convert medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to natural gas would reduce the countrys dependence on foreign oil and slash air pollution. Our analysis, which is based on current fleet turnover rates, determines that deployment of 3.5 million of these natural gas vehicles by 2035 would save at least 1.2 million barrels of oil per day compared to business as usual. The report supports the view that medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses represent the best opportunity to replace foreign oil with homegrown natural gas. Our analysis, which is based on current fleet turnover rates for each class, determines that deployment of 3.5 million of these natural gas vehicles by 2035 would save at least 1.2 million barrels of oil per day compared to business as usual.
FTA Announces Availability of $775 Million for Bus Programs
On Tuesday, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the
availability of discretionary Section 5309 Bus and Bus Facilities grant
funds in support of its ``State of Good Repair'' initiative. The initiative will make up to $775 million available to grantees. According to FTA, the Bus initiative will make funds available to public transit providers to finance capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct/rehabilitate bus-related facilities. Complete proposals for the Bus initiative must be submitted by June 18, 2010. To view a copy of notice, click here http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-10430.htm.
President Obama Orders Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks
President Barack Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum on May 21, directing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to create the first national policy to increase the fuel efficiency of medium- and heavy-duty trucks while decreasing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The directive will target new trucks from the 2014-2018 model years. U.S. trucks consume more than two million barrels of oil every day and average 6.1 miles per gallon, while emitting 20% of the GHG pollution related to U.S. transportation. The president also called for an extension of the groundbreaking fuel efficiency and GHG emissions policy he announced on May 19, 2009, which covers cars and light-duty trucks in the model years 2012 to 2016. That national policy represented an unprecedented collaboration between the DOT, the EPA, the world's largest auto manufacturers, the United Auto Workers, leaders in the environmental community, the State of California, and other state governments. The president wants that policy extended to cars and light-duty trucks produced in model years 2017 and beyond.
To further bolster the move towards cleaner vehicles, President Obama also directed DOE to increase its support for the deployment of advanced vehicles, including electric vehicles. In addition, he directed the EPA to explore ways to cut vehicle emissions of pollutants other than greenhouse gases. In his remarks announcing the memorandum, the president called for public and private sector cooperation to develop the advanced infrastructure that will be necessary for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. The president said his administration will work to diversify the U.S. fuel mix, including biofuels, natural gas, and other cleaner sources of energy.
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US Federal Agencies Have NGV Options for Fleets in 2011
October 24, 2010 9:58 pm | Source: NGVAmerica | USA
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which purchases and facilitates leases of motor vehicles for federal agencies, has included natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in its list of vehicles available for 2011. This includes vehicles from Honda, GM, Ford, and Freightliner. Federal fleet customers interested in GM vehicles will be able to order the following models:
Cargo van (G3500), Cutaway Cargo Van, and Silverado Work truck 4×2 and 4×4.
Ford vehicles available for purchase include the E350 cargo van and cutaway cargo van and the F250 pickup 4×2 and 4×4.
Daimler Trucks also is offering its M2 112 available with CNG or LNG as an order option for fleet customers.
Honda is offering the Honda Civic GX.
Noting that Ford currently is not manufacturing NGVs in-house NGVAmerica says that the Ford models are being supplied by dealerships utilizing equipment manufactured by small volume manufacturers. Ford has begun shipping a number of different models that are gas-ready, i.e., have hardened seats and valves to accommodate natural gas. In particular, the 2011 Ford Econoline van, E350 version, can now be ordered by Federal fleets interested in purchasing this vehicle and having it upfitted later.
GM is now offering a dedicated natural gas version of its Savanna and Express vans but is not offering an in-house version of its larger Cargo vans (G3500 or Cutaway).
In addition to all of these options, federal fleets that own the 2008 and 2009 Ford Focus or Fusion, or the 2009 Mercury Milan are able to purchase an upfit system for their vehicles from the GSA schedule. The system is offered by Transeco Energy which holds certificates for both dedicated and bi-fuel versions of these vehicles.
NGVAmerica also expect that several bus manufacturers will have products listed when the bus lists comes out later.
