Gas power blowing hot for Iveco

Iveco is staking its future in the UK on gas-powered vehicles, from vans to 40-tonne tractor units.

Speaking to journalists at the manufacturer’s annual State of the Nation conference, managing director Stuart Webster said: “Above everything, we’ll be focusing on our development of the alternative fuels sector, where we lead, and it’s a leadership we are not going to let go of.

“There’s our Stralis NP, now available at 460 hp and with a choice of LNG and CNG ‘real gas’ engines, not those that need an added dose of diesel to deliver. 460 hp is exactly where the market is for top-weight transport, and with a range on one tank now extended to 1,600 km Stralis is a very practical, profitable opportunity for anyone running up to 40 tonnes.

“Gas is available on our Eurocargo range. We’ll be homing in on municipals, utilities and so on in 2018: sectors where we have a good name but where our presence has not been so strong in recent years.”

Environmental credentials could be critical in such sectors, he asserted, so gas Eurocargos would spearhead Iveco’s attack on these markets.

Alternative fuels director Martin Flach added that: “Gas is the only alternative fuel that works everywhere that diesel does.”

He added that the gas Eurocargo was available with either a manual gearbox or an Allison full-auto, and there was an automated manual ‘box in development.

The gas Daily van/chassis-cab was also now available with the HI-Matic automated transmission. When run on natural gas, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by five per cent, but this could be reduced to up to 95 per cent if biomethane could be sourced.

Alternative fuel was being made more attractive to van operators by an increase in the GVW threshold for O-licences from 3.5 to 4.25 tonnes, and it was hoped that this concession would be extended to driving licences soon.

Gas vans were cheaper to buy than electrics, although Iveco offered both.

Switching a heavy truck to LNG would reduce its fuel bill by one-third, he asserted.

However: “Above 12 tonnes, a gas truck needs a retarder, which will weigh more.

“Most gas trucks will run at 38 rather than 40 tonnes.”

Iveco’s current gas tractors achieve the quoted range of 1,600 km by virtue of a 4×2 chassis which maximises fuel capacity. A 6×2 option is available, but range would be reduced to 750 km.

Questioned by Transport Operator as to when gas trucks would become part of the mainstream market, Mr Flach said: “From the beginning of last year I was confident that we would get vehicles into fleets. Demonstrators have been working, and some deliveries were made at the end of the year. Some ‘big brand’ customers have vehicles but don’t want publicity.

“Supermarkets and customers carrying high-bulk goods will be the first to benefit from gas.”

The problem of fueling infrastructure was being addressed: “There are currently 40 vehicle gas filling stations in the UK, but only one sells both CNG and LNG: there’s a 50/50 split between the fuels over the others.

“Demand for CNG has been driven by bus operators, who have installed their own filling stations. The opening of 20 UK LNG filling-stations has been led by Calor. It’s an expanding network, but each new station requires a local baseline customer to provide the bulk of business, so gas is not a fuel for trampers, yet.”

But even a relatively small fleet switching to gas could get a station built.

“Just 10 gas trucks will be enough to get a station funded by a gas-provider,” Mr Flach said.

Iveco announced a breakthrough order for seven gas-powered trucks from a long-established UK hire and reward operator shortly before Transport Operator‘s March print issue went to press.

The Stralis NP AS 440T/P 4×2 tractors are powered by compressed biomethane gas, and have gone into service with H Parkinson Haulage of Preston. They are the operator’s first ever Ivecos, as well as its first gas-powered trucks. Four trucks are former demonstrators, with the balance being new vehicles.

They were selected after a trial against another make of gas truck, with the powerful engine and positive feedback from drivers on driving characteristics and cab comfort cited as key factors in the Iveco vehicles being chosen.

H Parkinson Haulage has more than 60 years of experience in the industry covering the whole of the UK for next-day, two-day and three-day delivery including timed delivery, offering a 24-hour service.

Steve Sugden, general manager of H Parkinson Haulage, says: “These vehicles will be doing nearly a quarter of a million miles a year each – so it was vital for us and our customers to reduce the environmental impact.

“Currently, for a CNG vehicle, no-one has a better offering than Iveco, and with the seven Stralis NPs, coupled with our longer semi-trailers (LSTs), we’ve worked out we can reduce our CO₂ emissions by a massive 1,750 tonnes every year.

“And when potential clients come along, more and more are looking at reducing CO₂ emissions, so this order really ticks a massive box. When you couple an LST with a Stralis NP tractor unit – it’s going to be about as environmentally friendly as you can get. This is the future of green logistics.”

H Parkinson Haulage’s customer’s proximity to CNG Fuel’s compressed biomethane filling station in Leyland was also an important factor in its decision. Research by Cadent Gas in 2017 found an 84 per cent drop in carbon dioxide emissions from HGVs using the UK’s first gas filling station connected to a high-pressure pipeline.

The plan is to run the trucks until end of life due to the high mileage, with each vehicle covering at least 1,000 km every working day, thanks to an intensive multi-shift operation.

The Stralis NP is powered by a Cursor 9 Euro 6 natural gas engine which delivers the same output of 400 hp and 1,700 Nm torque as its diesel equivalent. This results in an excellent power-to-weight ratio, power density and quietness of operation, says Iveco.