Gas power combines with longer trailers to save carbon and cash

Iveco has joined forces with pan-European logistics company SMET to trial an 18-metre articulated combination powered by liquid natural gas. The combination is 1.5 metres over the maximum length of a conventional artic, with all the extra length available as loadspace.

Authorised in July 2008 by the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Progetto Diciotto (which means “Project Eighteen”) was launched by the ANFIA (Italian Automotive Industry Association) in Italy to test the impact on transport efficiency of increasing the length of articulated trucks to 18 metres from the current standard length of 16.5 metres.

Lengthening semi-trailers by around 1.5 metres is the only planned variation from standard vehicles; all the other basic specifications remain unchanged from current legislation, from axle loads to manoeuvrability. Similar trials are being run in Germany and Czech Republic, as well as the UK’s own trial.

The results achieved by Progetto Diciotto in Italy have improved transport efficiency by almost 10 per cent on trial vehicles.

But the use of an LNG-powered Stralis gives a futher bonus: natural gas is a much cleaner fuel than diesel in terms of its minimal particulate emissions and NOx emissions. These are reduced by 95 and 35 per cent respectively, compared to a Euro 6 diesel, and Iveco claims a 40 per cent reduction in fuel costs, although these will obviously vary not just from nation to nation but also from operation to operation.

There is also potential to reduce vehicle CO₂ emissions from 10 percent if ‘fossil’ gas is used to up to 100 per cent if using methane derived from bio-wastes. Lastly, it ensures a quieter vehicle with an average decrease of five decibels in comparison to its diesel counterpart.