IVECO Stralis LNG
Transports P. Mendy, a French transportation company, in partnership with GNVERT (GDF Suez) and IVECO France, will perform the first French tests under operating conditions of heavy vehicles running on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), at Bénesse-Maremne (Landes). LNG fuel combines the ecological and economic benefits of natural gas and diesel fuel autonomy: 1000 km for trucks. This first results from the commitment of all stakeholders involved in the development and promotion of a sector “clean” in the transportation of goods.
Stored in liquid form at -160 °, the fuel gas allows a range of 1000 km for trucks and opens the way for LNG-powered long haul as a real alternative to diesel. The reliability of LNG is proven by the use for nearly 15 years of natural gas fuel in its gaseous form (CNG), which supplies daily in France more than 2300 buses (about 15% of buses run on CNG in France) and hundreds of street cleaning vehicles (almost 14% of clean urban vehicles run on CNG in France).
Mainly composed of methane, natural gas is a sustainable fuel that emits no fine particles (often responsible for respiratory diseases in urban areas), 80% reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides and up to 25% CO2 emissions. It halves the noise and reduces engine vibration at all speeds of operation.
Transports P. Mendy is conducting the trial using an IVECO truck, a 38-tonne Stralis AT 440S33 LNG, in partnership with GNVERT (GDF Suez). For nearly 3 weeks of operation, the tests include a regional delivery system for supermarkets and a long distance circuit taking in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques. A Cursor 8 CNG turbo engine turbo developing 330 hp, uses the principle of stoichiometric combustion to achieve high energy efficiency and emissions of NOx and particles 3 times lower than the limits to be imposed in 2014 by the Euro VI regulations.
According to a separate AFP report, Iveco France will commence mass production of the LNG-optioned truck.
(This article primarily compiled using information from a joint GNVert – Mendy Transports – IVECO press release)
