Navistar Making Plans for Natural Gas Powered Trucks

Providing low particulate emissions, natural gas is growing among regional haul fleets. To be prepared to meet increasing market demands, Navistar is currently in the process of developing a product strategy to offer natural gas powered International® medium-duty trucks.

During the recent Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference (EUFMC), Navistar demonstrated a natural gas powered medium-duty vehicle featuring a MaxxForce® DT-466 conversion kit developed by Emissions Solutions Incorporated (ESI) of McKinney, Texas. ESI offers conversions ranging from 175-300 horsepower with 460-860 lb.-ft. torque and are capable of supporting both liquefied and compressed natural gas.

Navistar is currently working with the EPA during the engine development program to define the requirements of an EPA compliant duel fuel engine, and expects to have built and tested the first concept readiness unit by September 2010.

“There are a growing number of customers interested in natural gas vehicles,” notes Jim Hebe, senior vice president, North American sales operations, Navistar. “Municipalities, as well as any businesses with vehicles that go back to a home-base every night, are ideal candidates for natural gas because of the incentives available from the federal government for regional infrastructure development.”

The Benefits of Natural Gas

Natural gas (in compressed and liquid form) has gained a great deal of attention over the past several years—and with good reason. While reserves of oil and other resources are diminishing, new drilling technologies and techniques are allowing companies to recover additional natural gas from shale deposits right here in North America. The energy available from natural gas contained in these shale deposits are projected to be able to provide ample supplies for the next 100 years.

Navistar is currently working with the EPA during the engine development program to define the requirements of an EPA compliant duel fuel engine, and expects to have built and tested the first concept readiness unit by September 2010.

Methane, the largest element in natural gas, is combustible, which means that it is possible to burn it. Chemically, this process consists of a reaction between methane and oxygen. When this reaction takes place, the result is carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and energy. The result is a fossil fuel low in particulate emission: because burning methane releases only carbon dioxide and water, there are fewer byproducts and CO2 output is currently within legislated requirements.

While methane does not possess as much energy as gasoline or more powerful diesel fuel, it works in vehicle applications especially when in liquid form. A regional haul tractor operating in a 400-mile radius (for example) could easily operate on liquid natural gas.

Along with the environmental benefits, another potential benefit of natural gas is long term operating costs when compared to diesel or gasoline. Although the initial acquisition costs will be higher until production ramps up, customers can enjoy the benefit of lower fuel costs and anticipated payback over the average vehicle lifecycle. Currently, the nationwide average price of CNG is $1.93/gallon with a diesel equivalent of $2.54/gallon, a difference of over 30 percent. If government incentives are factored into the cost equation, the financial argument for natural gas vehicles becomes stronger.

Congress is playing a big role in natural gas by developing purchase incentives to encourage transition from diesel-fuel to alternative fuels such as natural gas. This policy is currently up for renewal with most of the elements staying consistent (this incentive provides 50¢ per gallon of fuel, and up to $30,000 annually per property for fueling station equipment). The exception is the credit per vehicle, which has a proposed increase of $65,000 per vehicle.

If this act passes, customers will have an even greater incentive to transition to natural gas. But, obviously, for natural gas to be a long-term viable solution it needs to be competitive without government subsidies.