THE LOCKWOOD REPORT

March 14, 2012 Vol. 8, No. 6

There's lots going on these days, so let's dig right in. And I'll start with gaseous fuels powering little trucks.

My recent back surgery kept me away from the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis but it seems that natural gas options were big news there. The so-called Detroit Big Three -- is that now an anachronism? -- all showed light-duty trucks powered by bi-fuel engines that run on both gasoline and CNG, and I'll get to them in a minute. Let's not forget propane, though, which seems to be making a resurgence.

Funny, but diesel/electric hybrids and to some lesser extent all-electric trucks have dominated the last few Work Truck shows and now seem to have faded a little. Is it just me seeing that? People will always go for an easier solution, and gaseous fuels are certainly that for the time being. I see a bandwagon element to all of this, but I also think that the propane option might just be a sleeper here. It's going to be interesting to look at all this in five years' time.

Anyway, the show featured the Propane Pavilion, and leading the way in there was Roush CleanTech displaying one of Frito Lay’s propane Ford E-350 cutaway delivery trucks (pictured here). Show-goers were also offered the chance to get behind the wheel of a Ford E-450 box truck, fueled by a Roush LPG system. And the company's vice president of sales and marketing, Todd Mouw, made a presentation during the Green Truck Summit that preceded the show.
 

I've since had the chance to chat with Todd over the phone about propane and its place in the world of commercial vehicles but I'm going to save that for the next Lockwood Report on March 28th. He had some interesting things to say about a fuel that seemed -- to me at least -- to have largely dropped off the radar in recent years.

A couple of decades ago -- hell, maybe more -- there was a brief period when propane was seen as a way to power heavy trucks, not just airline limousines, and I spent a few hours one day test-driving an LPG-fueled Ford Louisville. If I remember correctly, it felt a little anemic. But that was then and this is now, and fuel-injection technology has changed dramatically in the intervening years. I'm told there's little power difference now. Better yet, compared to CNG, the propane option delivers similar results at far less cost.

But I'll save all that for next time. You might also, by the way, take a look at the April issue of Today's Trucking where you'll find that my colleague Steve Bouchard, editor of Transport Routier, has penned a major feature on the propane option in heavy trucks run by a Quebec fleet. If you don't subscribe, you'll be able see it online at todaystrucking.com.

OK, ON TO CNG. Detroit's Big Three light-truck builders are embracing compressed natural gas in a biggish way, and that was crystal clear last week at the Work Truck Show.

General Motors, Chrysler's Ram Trucks division, and Ford all announced bi-fuel CNG/gasoline systems for heavy pickups, though not right across the range except in Ford's case. So far the option is specific to one or two models at GM and Ram.. Only Chrysler is doing all this in-house, using engineering expertise from its parent company, Fiat, which owns 80% of the European natural gas vehicle market.

Ford, interestingly, went to Westport Innovations for CNG conversion expertise, marking what I think is that Vancouver company's first foray into the light-duty world. GM chose conversion specialist Impco.

AS WELL AS THE BIG BOYS, VENCHURS Vehicle Systems (VVS) showed off its new CNG and bi-fuel conversions for Ford F-250/350 trucks during the show. The company is one of the first CNG 'Qualified Vehicle Modifiers' for Ford. To illustrate its capabilities, VVS built a bi-fuel Search & Rescue Ford F250 concept truck proposed for pilot program demonstrations by U.S. national park rangers. Each CNG conversion is done at the company's facility in Adrian, Michigan. VVS is quick to make it clear that converted Ford vehicles maintain their original warranty.

Back to the Big Three, only the Ford/Westport duo has so far divulged the price premium. In that case it will be US$9750 over and above a straight gasoline engine, which makes it a few thousand more than a diesel. You can pay another $1200 to get a twice-larger CNG tank. Using both fuels, even with the smaller natural gas tank, we're told range will be as much as 630 miles (1014 km).

That new Westport engine is somewhat grandly called the WiNG Power System, a fully integrated CNG bi-fuel system that's available for order on Ford F-250 and F-350 pick-up trucks (pictured here) through some authorized Ford dealers as of next week. It's based on Ford’s new 6.2-litre  engine platform. WiNG trucks will come with Regular, Super and SuperCrew cabs, with short or long pickup beds, and with two- or four-wheel drive. Other configurations might be added later, Ford says.

The 2012 models with Westport bi-fuel systems sold through Ford dealers will be EPA certified, and it's expected that 2013-model-year trucks will offer CARB certification as well. They're being built in Kentucky, with a Westport facility adjacent.
 

CHRYSLER'S RAM BRAND will manufacture a four-wheel-drive 2500 Heavy Duty Crew Cab bi-fuel pickup entirely at its own plant in Mexico, with no installation work done by outside suppliers. The bi-fuel package includes a gas-prepped 5.7-litre Hemi V8 that uses gasoline only for start-up, then switches to CNG. If the truck runs out of CNG, it switches automatically to gasoline as do the Ford and GM.

CNG-only range is 255 miles (410 km), and the backup gasoline supply extends that to 367 miles (590 km). Which isn't a lot. But if you're a Canadian customer, you can opt for a 35-gal (132.5 litres) gasoline tank to make the range a lot more useful.

If demand calls for other models, they might be added. The company expects to deliver the first vehicles in July.

GM'S BI-FUEL PICKUP will come in just one flavour, a 2500 HD Extended Cab, though it can be had with a short or long box and two- or four-wheel drive. It'll be sold as a Chevrolet Silverado or GMC Sierra, built in Fort Wayne, In., with a Vortec 6-litre V-8 and then shipped to nearby Union City where Impco Automotive will install the CNG equipment.

GM people emphasize that this is not an upfit, because Impco is a Tier One supplier whose precise manufacturing processes are in synch with GM's. Impco will install a Bosch CNG fuel system.
 
The Vortec engine starts on gasoline only and will run on either fuel, though it won't start on CNG. It offers a sizeable 650-mile (1046 km) range.

GM hasn't finalized pricing on the bi-fuel system, but will begin taking orders in April. Production starts late this year.

NOW FOR SOME BIOFUEL NOTES following my mention two weeks ago that Hino had approved a B20 biodiesel blend in its current-model engines -- that is, 2011 models and later -- including its diesel/electric hybrid. I also wrote that Cummins had approved B20 in these current-model on-highway Cummins engines: the ISX, ISM, ISL, ISC and ISB engines certified to EPA ’02 and later emissions standards.

I've since had some clarifications re Detroit Diesel, whose engines are good for B5, I wrote. That's true. I've since seen a tech document that says "Biodiesel blends up to 5% are allowed in all Detroit Diesel engines."

It goes on this way: "Biodiesel blends above 5% are NOT allowed in MBE 900/4000 engines. Engines built prior to MY2004 may contain materials that are not compatible with biodiesel. Blends above 5% are not recommended in these engines. Biodiesel blends up to 20% are allowed in Series 60, DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines. Biodiesel blends above 20% are NOT allowed in any Detroit Diesel engines."

A technical bulletin from Navistar suggests that B5 biodiesel is OK in International engines and will not void the warranty if the fuel meets ASTM D6751 and D975 standards. A B20 blend might be different, and is to be used -- in 2007 and later MaxxForce engines only -- "at the discretion of the customer." B20 "will not automatically void the warranty" unless an engine failure can be attributed to fuel "not provided by a BQ9000-certified fuel supplier, not meeting the EMA B20 Test Fuel Specification." In other words, tread carefully.

I also spoke with Dave McKenna, the wildly affable director of powertrain sales at Mack. He's a plain-speaker if ever there was one.

"We allow B20 on all engines," he told me. "We were much more cautious with the B20 and EPA 2010 combination, as some biofuels can cause higher combustion temperatures (read more NOx) than anything else. All distributors claim ASTM compliance, but somehow I doubt the veracity... Another issue with inconsistent use of biodiesel is what I call the laxative effect. It seems that biodiesel has a solvent-like action on carbon deposits and this 'stuff' loosens and then clogs up the fuel filters.

"We are going to stick with B-20 for now. My biggest (and only) concern with any biodiesel is the proper processing and grading. We have seen samples of B5 closer to 13% and B20 at less than 15%. So it is the quality in a nutshell. And as for operating biodiesel in the extreme cold, the colder it gets, the more viscous the fuel; the more viscous the fuel, the higher the injection pressures. We are already using UHIP - ultra-high injection pressures - we don't need anything to raise that pressure higher."

I'll pursue this further, of course, and report as I learn more.

ONE OTHER SMALL BIODIESEL NOTE... The National Biodiesel Board in the U.S. is disappointed after the Senate voted down two amendments that would have extended the biodiesel tax incentive through the end of the year. Congress allowed the $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax incentive to expire on Dec. 31, despite the fact that the incentive helped the biodiesel industry achieve record production last year of nearly 1.1 billion gal.

At the same time, President Obama has proposed a new federal tax credit to encourage truck fleets to purchase vehicles powered by natural gas or electricity.

After touring the Freightliner factory in Mt. Holly, NC last week, he said he would fight to permit tax credits that would equal half the added cost of alternatively powered commercial vehicles. DTNA says a Class 8 tractor powered by CNG currently costs about $40,000 more than a similar diesel-powered model.

OK, THE SHOW REMINDERS... Now it's time for the big one, March 22-24, namely the Mid-America Trucking Show at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Call 502-899-3892 or 1-800-626-2370 or go to http://truckingshow.com.

Then it's Toronto, Ontario for our very own Truck World 2012 show on April 19th through the 21st at the International Centre. Among other features is a separate section devoted to vocational trucks and a couple of seminars conducted by the Canadian Transportation Equipment Association (CTEA, the northern equivalent of the NTEA, see www.ctea.ca). I'll be leading the Fleet Forum session where we'll chart one smallish fleet's progress with a sophisticated maintenance software package from selection through implementation. Call 1-877-682-7469 or go to http://truckworld.ca.

The 59th Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference will be held June 3-6, 2012 at the Williamsburg Lodge and Conference Center in Williamsburg, Virginia. Bob Lutz, the driving force behind many vehicle advancements in a nearly 50-year career in the automotive industry, will be the guest speaker at the big dinner on Wednesday June 6. Register at www.eufmc.com or call 1-800-261-9530.

Moving all the way ahead to September 10-12, you may want to attend the fifth International Environmentally Friendly Vehicles Conference in Baltimore, MD. Hosted in the U.S. for the first time, this one is about shaping the market for clean and fuel efficient vehicles. Sponsored by EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Environment Canada, conference supporters include General Motors, Nissan, Auto Alliance, Global Automakers, Truck & Engine Manufacturers Association, Society of Automotive Engineers, the International Council on Clean Transportation and others. Sponsorship opportunities and exhibit space are available. Abstracts for papers and presentations will be accepted until April 30. Visit www.efv2012.com

And if you want to justify a trip to Europe, note that this is a Hannover year. The 64th IAA Commercial Vehicles show will be held from September 20 to 27, 2012 in Hannover, Germany. See www.iaa.de/en/

THIS NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED every two weeks. It's a heads-up notice about what's going on with trucking technology. I also write here about interesting products that may not have had the 'air play' they deserved within the last few months.

I should remind you that I don’t endorse any of the products I write about in this e-newsletter, nor do I have the resources to test them. What you’re getting is reasonably well educated opinion based on more than three decades in trucking.

If you have comments of whatever sort about the Lockwood Report, or maybe you've tried a gizmo I should know about, please contact me at rolf@newcom.ca.
 

DRIVER INCENTIVE HANDBOOK

(March 14, 2012) -- New from FleetSmart is a guide to fuel economy through driver incentives

BI-FUEL RAM PICKUP

(March 14, 2012) -- The Ram 2500 CNG pickup is all factory-built

GM'S BI-FUEL PICKUP

(March 14, 2012) -- General motors offers a bi-fuel gasoline/CNG pickup too

CNG FOR FORD F-250, F-350

(March 14, 2012) -- Ford and Westport partner on gasoline/CNG power system