The Netherlands, Amsterdam
Mercedes-Benz have chosen the 2007 RAI International Commercial Vehicle Show in Amsterdam to launch their latest natural gas powered vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz Econic NGT 1828 semitrailer tractor for urban and short-radius distribution. A company press release says the launch is a response to “the demands imposed by environmental legislation on vehicles used for urban transport becoming ever more stringent.” The Econic NGT 1828 with natural gas drive (NGT = Natural Gas Technology) semitrailer tractor has a wheelbase of only 3450 mm.
This drive unit’s credentials include CO2 emissions that are 20% lower
when measured against a comparable diesel-powered vehicle, CO2-neutral
performance if regenerative biogas is used, far less particulate matter
discharge and a substantial reduction in noise levels, which is
particularly beneficial when making deliveries to city-centre
businesses in the early hours of the morning.
The gas-powered Econic is purpose-made for the following types of
applications: transporting foodstuffs or furniture from depots on the
city outskirts, for example, to businesses in the city centre, or
intra-factory transport of goods which are manufactured in three
shifts, meaning they also have to be moved at night and therefore
quietly. These applications are complemented by "light-duty,
short-radius distribution".
This is how the Econic with liquefied natural gas drive (LNG) will be
deployed by Dutch logistics firm Harry Vos, one of Europe’s major
freight carriers. A vehicle that is painted in the company’s volcano
orange colour and additionally equipped with a top-sleeper cab can
already be seen at the Amsterdam show.
This exhibition vehicle showcases two alternative technologies for
natural-gas tanks: firstly, the CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) variant
with a range of around 350 km, and secondly the LNG (Liquefied Natural
Gas) variant, an ongoing development project with a range of some 800
km.
The Mercedes-Benz Econic with gas drive complies with EEV (Enhanced
Environmentally-friendly Vehicle) regulations, which are even tighter
than Euro IV.
Quite apart from environmental concerns, fuel savings are also a major
factor when opting for a gas-powered Mercedes-Benz Econic. Indeed, fuel
costs can be cut by between 30 and 60% overall, as natural gas (CNG)
only costs 60 to 90 Euro cents per kg, and the high-efficiency
lean-burn gas engine consumes around ten per cent less gas than the
diesel burned by a comparable diesel engine.
