UPS delivers a boost to propane as vehicle fuel

Fuel Fix ^ | March 14, 2014 | Ryan Holeywell

[thackney]

[weezel]

I wish there were a lot of Hank Hills out there selling propane and propane accessories that would allow me to use propane in my vehicles. I’ve known about it for decades, there used to be a propane company in town that had their delivery trucks hooked up to run off of the fuel they were delivering, this was back in the ‘60s and those trucks would typically go 300 or 400 thousand miles before needing any work. This was back when cars were worn jam out, as folks would say, at 100 thousand or less!

[pepsi_junkie]

Soon we will return to the glory days of the Gas bag cars!

[raybbr]

Mike Casteel, director of fleet procurement for UPS, says the company expects to pay $1.25 to $1.50 per gallon less for propane than for gasoline. A gallon of propane will only take a truck about 75 percent to 90 percent as far as a gallon of gasoline, but the savings still can amount to $1 per gallon or more. He also said the company believes growing domestic energy supplies will keep long-term propane prices stable.

Uh huh. Till his company raises the demand and propane, which is already high, goes higher. I'm paying $2.70 a gallon for heating my home. I'm lucky I got a contract but I can tell you that my gas co. will NOT see a loss for next year. I bet my next contract offer will close to $3/gallon.

[norwaypinesavage]

I believe the major problem with propane is ultimate limited supply. There is only a given fraction of propane in any gas or oil well. Once it is removed, larger quantities are difficult to obtain. If every vehicle used propane, the cost of propane would sky rocket.

[thackney]

I believe a greater demand for propane will ultimately result in more steady pricing. Currently the US produces more propane than we use domestically.

The “wet” Natural Gas shale production contains significant propane and other natural gas liquids. Exports of LNG (pure methane) would lead to increased production from these fields and result in more propane production domestically.

[thackney]

If every vehicle used propane...

I don't think there is ever any chance of that. More of a trimming of the peak than replacing the entire gasoline supply.

[mazda77]

There was a time when almost all indoor forklifts were propane or electric powered as well. Advances in electrics has seen the old worn out propane towmotors fade away, mainly because of the cost of propane.

[MRadtke]

Yes, propane does burn that much cleaner. I know people that service propane powered vehicles and they tell me that the used oil looks like new. I think propane is a great idea for commuter vehicles. I wonder how practical it would be to convert natural gas (methane) to propane?

[Wonder Warthog]

I wish they had opted for CNG instead of propane. Propane is useful for too many other things that methane is not, like home heating and chemical feedstock.

[rawhide]

Airport transportation service SuperShuttle touted its propane vehicles earlier this year, saying its 160 propane vehicles, including 30 in Houston, are reducing fuel costs by as much as 60 percent.

I am surprised that companies are not jumping over to this fuel if as much as 60% fuel savings can be obtained? Wow!

[Dusty Road]

Back in the 70’s we all were running propane and gas. You could sure tell the power difference when you switched over.

[Tupelo]

Not being an expert, I am just happy to see companies like UPS experimenting with alternate sources for fuel. I know that propane like CNG has less BTUs than gasoline, but if a company like UPS can achieve any savings, it could lower shipping costs. An added benefit could possibly be a future reduction of diesel and gasoline use nationwide, which could lead to lower prices. An added benefit is’ A private company is doing the experiment, not the Federals doing it on our dime.

[rawhide]

First time I have ever heard about these ‘gas bag cars’. Fascinating!

[thackney]

They are using CNG as well. They haven’t picked a single alternative fuel source, at least not yet.

UPS has one of the largest private fleets of CNG vehicles in the U.S., with more than 965 package delivery vehicles. UPS began extensively using CNG in 1989 to assess its benefits and viability as an alternative fuel.

http://pressroom.ups.com/Fact+Sheets/Saving+Fuel%3A+Alternative+Fuels+Drive+UPS+to+Innovative+Solutions

[thackney]

I would expect a difference between a gasoline engine running on propane and an engine built for propane.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Schwann’s delivery trucks have been running propane for many years. SemGroupCorp of Tulsa is their supplier.

[Dusty Road]

I suspect your right! The conversions now should be allot better. I still think CNG will be the future but at my age I may not get to see it.

[garryowenartillery]

I ran a C65 Chevy truck for years on a propane motor fuel system salvaged from just such a truck. It always started in below zero weather after a second on the primer button, first top dead center fired every time, I could run big advance timing because of the 108 octane on the long stoke 401 V6 (Gas motor but low rpm and huge torque)

Oil never contaminated by blow-by so it always looked clean and plugs never showed wear ever. It is a great motor fuel. Mileage was about 80% what one expects on petro, but at the time was cheaper than gas by a bunch.

I'd do it again someday with an older small 4 cyl carb intake pick up and hide tow-motor jugs in the bed toolbox that are filled from the bulk tank in the back yard, as many already do here. Dri-Gas!

[wild74]

Of course you know this a lot of the Shale Plays don’t have any propane in the gas. Haynesville gas typically runs about .990 on BTU’s if it was not for the high CO2’s and H2S the gas could go unprocessed except for removing the water. I know that our Waskom plant sold all the propane it could this winter because of high demand.