Posted on 05/04/2015 4:17:20 AM PDT by thackney
Ford Motor Co. says the 2016 F-150 pickup will be available with a 5.0-liter V8 engine that can run on compressed natural gas or propane, part of a growing lineup of CNG vehicles from the Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker.
Ford’s commercial vehicle customers, in particular, have been asking for more trucks and vans that can run on compressed natural gas because it lowers their fleet operating costs and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
CNG sells for an average of $2.11 per gallon of gasoline equivalent, as of April 30, 2015, and is as low as $1 in some parts of the country, representing a significant savings compared with unleaded regular fuel, and an even greater savings compared with diesel. The national average for unleaded regular fuel is $2.58 per gallon, while diesel sells for an average $2.81 per gallon, as of April 30.
Ford says demand has been steadily increasing for the past five years. Ford sold a record 16,821 commercial vehicles with CNG/propane gaseous engine-prep packages in 2014, and says 2015 will be even stronger. Since 2009, Ford has sold more than 57,000 CNG/propane-prepped vehicles – seven times more than all other major U.S. automakers combined.
Ford sells only a kit to prepare the engine for conversion to compressed natural gas. The factory prep kit costs $315. It’s then up to the customer to choose a Ford-sanctioned contractor to supply fuel tanks, fuel lines and unique fuel injectors. That modification costs between $7,500 and $9,500, depending on fuel tank capacity.
That extra cost certainly hasn’t been a sales deterrent. “The growth in interest for CNG/propane-prepped vehicles shows a shift in fleet customers’ mindsets,” says Dick Cupka, Ford commercial vehicle sustainability leader. “They are becoming more forward-thinking about alternative fuels, taking into account their total cost of ownership and looking for ways...
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Driven by market forces.
The right way.
In Colombia cars/trucks have been running on natural gas. works well. just fill up at the station. Unless adjustments are made, natural gas doesnt give the power of gasoline.
New natural gas station could draw truckers to Dalton {GA}
http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/news/new-natural-gas-station-could-draw-truckers-to-dalton/article_2f576910-f204-11e4-8e17-a70d6230494b.html
Operating 21 compressed natural gas stations across the country, with three more under construction and another dozen in various stages of development, ampCNG believes the trucking industry is going to be moving to natural gas in a big way.
“We think we are at the beginning of something really big,” said Steve Josephs, co-founder and director of engineering for ampCNG. “It’s an American fuel. It’s not imported. It burns cleaner than diesel. It used to be substantially cheaper than diesel fuel, and it’s still quite a bit cheaper than diesel.”
And when the Chicago-based company was looking for a site for the first compressed natural gas station in northwest Georgia, it quickly zeroed in on Dalton.
When will the hydrogen F150 be available? When will there be Hydrogen filling stations? And where the hell is my jetpack?
What about propane? Isn’t it more expensive? The reason I ask is there are still many, many more places to get propane than compressed natural gas at this time.
However, most retail propane outlets are not simply drive and fill up. At my local propane place, I have to see a guy who looks very much like Hank Hill, and it takes him at least 15-20 minutes to get around to filling my tank. Nice guy but always busy.
I can’t imagine the process for self-service for propane. They act like I’m going to blow myself up just carrying the tank back to my car.
Before you say you can do the same with gasoline, let me state that I can ignite/explode a bottle of compressed gas easier and from farther away than what I could do to/with a tank of gasoline.
I know the Ford 150 package preps for both CNG or Propane.
Propane does tend to be more expensive than CNG but in most location less expensive than gasoline on a per energy basis.
If you use an engine designed for gasoline, you may get less power fueling it with methane. But 18 wheelers are running on natural gas these days. Plenty of power is available when done correctly.
Harder to ignite (smaller ratio of air/flammability), dissipates upward rather than pools on the ground...
Thats what Ive heard..almost all taxis run on natural gas in Colombia. Ive been going up hill in taxis and they run out of power...got to back down and start over LOL.
That is just too small an engine, not a matter of fuel choice.
We have trains now running on natural gas, Ocean going ships, etc...
just for the record...... my Toyota fork lifts were propane fueled back in the early 80’s.
The NG/propane trucks will be for commercial vehicles that leave in the morning and come home again at night to the garage where the refueling capability exists.
I was thinking more on the line of a bomb ... but you’re the expert ... thanx
Nat Gas makes a lousy bomb.
You have to dilute in down to 15% concentration mixed into air before it will ignite.
yep!
Thanx ... didn’t know that.
Compressed natural gas (CNG) has found it niche in taxis and public buses in metro areas, where the shorter range is less of an issue but where the vastly lower exhaust emissions compared to diesel or gasoline engines are highly beneficial (that’s why in Japan, most taxis are fueled by CNG).
It has been a significantly growing market in the garbage truck business and metro buses as well.
“Propane does tend to be more expensive than CNG but in most location less expensive than gasoline on a per energy basis.”
CNG is indeed less expensive. But, as soon as CNG vehicles begin to make a presence expect to see road taxes to be tacked on to the price. Btw, I’m old enough to remember when diesel price was about half of gasoline. Also, while CNG has some advantages such as price (for the time being) and a cleaner burn, it has some disadvantages such as less miles per gallon and horsepower per equivalent engine. So, those who haul or pull heavy loads may not be too eager to make the switch.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.