Public and private fleets have more and more choices for heavy duty vehicles. Heavy duty vehicles can be dedicated OEM (Original Equipment Manafacturer) natural gas, dual fueled (natural gas-diesel blends) or natural gas repowers. With the same power as gasoline or diesel fuel, natural gas can be used in transit buses, semitrucks, school buses, waste disposal trucks and delivery vehicles.
Depending on the fleet's application and route, fleets can chose either Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vehicles. CNG is stored as a high pressure gas while LNG, a more expensive option, is a kryogenic liquid. Because it is a liquid, the energy density of LNG is greater than CNG, so more fuel can be stored onboard the vehicle. This makes LNG well-suited for Class 7 and 8 trucks requiring a greater range.
OEM: Original Equipment Manafacturer
Currently, Cummins produces two dedicated heavy duty natural gas engines (8.9 Liter and 11.9 Liter). These engines are found in refuse trucks to long haul freight carriers. These engines are available in all major trucks platforms. Cummins is in development of the 6.7 Liter geared for the Type C front engine school bus and medium duty vocational trucks.
Dual Fuel Engines:
Dual Fuel Systems blends natural gas into your existing diesel engine through the turbocharger. The systems result in a lower cost of diesel and a reduction in emissions. You can run 50% or more Natural Gas while retaining the ability to operate on 100% diesel when you need it.
Repowered Engines:
For fleets who want to make a switch to natural gas, but they can't swallow the initial investment, repowers are a great way to go. For certain International Navistar DT-466 and Mack E7 engines, fleets can replace their dirty diesel engine with an approved EPA certified NGV Natori or Omnitek systems. These natural gas repowers provide fleets an economical way to become green.
The following companies can provide more detailed information on heavy duty vehicles:
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