Chilean vehicle reseller Kaufmann and natural gas suppliers Metrogas and Autogasco are joining together to encourage the use of vehicles friendly to the environment. Meeting with fleet representatives and media, they inspected Mercedes-Benz Sprinter NGT vans supplied to logistics-courier company Chilexpress by Kaufmann, the importer and official representative of Mercedes Benz in Chile. The bi-fuel Sprinter NGT is the first van in its class in Chile.
Chilexpress is the first company in Chile to introduce the natural gas powered van into its fleet, which has been available in the country for about one year. “The addition of this technology in our fleet helps us further progress in our sustainability program, whose main focus is the environment. These new vehicles, reducing greenhouse gases emissions by 40% and and emitting virtually no particulate matter, help us to meet the demanding targets for reducing carbon footprint and pollution that we have defined,” said Alfonso Diaz, Manager General Chilexpress.
Developed 100% in Germany, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter NGT presents a new option for vans in Chile: high performance and low pollution. When run solely on natural gas, these vans can achieve autonomy of over 200 km, and enter without restrictions into Santiago Centro.
To encourage use of these environmentally friendly vehicles, Metrogas is offering a “Green Bonus” of natural gas to the first 10 customers who purchase the Sprinter NGT Mercedes-Benz, which may be redeemed at any Autogasco station. The promotion will run until May 30, 2015.
(Source: Kaufmann)
Editor Note: In Chile, Certification of gas vehicles is conducted by the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, through 3CV, a certification lab, and applies to light passenger vehicles for passenger transport (taxis and buses), light commercial vehicles and medium vehicles whose engines have been adapted for the use of natural gas (CNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or a new natural gas vehicle, and certified at the Center for Vehicle Control and Certification. In Santiago, conversion of vehicles to natural gas can only be carried out for vehicles less than five years old, or seven years in the rest of the country.
