With Tesla ready to roll out its Tesla Semi in September, Cummins stole a bit of the Silicon Valley company’s thunder by unveiling its own all electric Class 7 electric truck on August 29. Cummins does not make trucks, it makes the power trains that make them go.
The trucking industry needs a large variety of trucks. Some are used in stop and go situations such as making deliveries or picking up trash. Some haul cargo trailers and containers over short distances, often from a port to a nearby distribution center. Some haul freight across the continent. Trucking companies are tightly focused on efficiency. Whichever truck can get the job done at the lowest cost is the one they buy.
The Cummins Class 7 electric truck prototype is dubbed AEOS — one of the horses that pulled the golden chariot of Helios across the heavens every day in Greek mythology. It has a 145 kWh battery and can haul a 22 ton trailer for up to 100 miles. Thanks to its advanced technology, recharging takes only an hour using a 140 kW charger. The Cummins power train won’t go into production until 2019 and the company expects charging times will have dropped to around 20 minutes by then.
The company is targeting truck and bus manufacturers that cater to customers who need short range capability. Approximately one year after the all electric power train enters production, the company will also offer a version with an on-board diesel range extender engine. Working together, both components will have a range of up to 300 miles and slash fuel consumption by 50% compared to trucks with conventional diesel hybrid power.
Cummins CEO Thomas Linebarger says the technology isn’t there yet for a Class 8 electric truck with long range capability. But he feels his nearly 100 year old company is intimately familiar with the needs of its customers and will always offer class leading options to its customers.
“There are more technologies coming into economic relevance than we’ve seen in my career, ever,” Linebarger tells Forbes. “This is what we do. We feel we do better when technologies are shifting.” He is well aware of the competition from companies like Tesla, Proterra, Nikola, and WrightSpeed. “All those competitors we take very seriously. They’re innovative, well-funded and have a technology mindset, much like Cummins.”
“We know that we cannot have one solution for everybody,” he says. That’s why Cummins will continue to develop more efficient diesel engines while exploring fuel cell technology and alternative fuels line LNG and LPG. “We need to make sure we have the right technology for the right application. Even if the electrified power train replaces the internal combustion engine completely, that’s still a 20 to 25 year transition period customers have to manage through. If we have good technology, they’ll want to buy it from us.”
As exciting as the coming era of electric cars is, with its promise of swift, silent, emissions-free transportation for all, the truth is that trucks are some of the biggest polluters on the road. According to the US Department of Transportation, nearly 50% of all emissions from the transportation sector are attributable to light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks. So where are all the electric trucks? When will you be able to buy an electric truck? What’s going on in the electric truck startup world? For the purposes of this discussion, we will look at four categories of electric trucks — light-duty electric pickup trucks, light-duty closed electric delivery trucks & vans, long-distance heavy-duty electric freight trucks, and medium- & heavy-duty electric urban trucks.
Medium & Heavy-Duty Electric Urban Trucks
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Light-Duty Electric Pickup Trucks
America loves light-duty trucks like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and Dodge Ram 1500. Sales of these vehicles are booming and manufacturers are scrambling to increase production to meet the demand. Chrysler is shutting down production of its Dodge Dart compact car and Chrysler 200 midsize sedan due to declining sales and focusing instead on making more Ram pickups and Jeep SUVs.
Why are there no electric trucks in the mix? Basically, the answer is that pickup trucks have a split personality. Most of the time they are used as the family daily driver. They go back and forth to work or take the kids to school. They are a passenger car with a load bed attached. But the beauty of a pickup truck is that it’s always happy to tow the boat to that cabin in the mountains or haul a camping trailer over vacation.
Lots of people also use pickup trucks in their trade or business. They haul rocks, gravel, building materials, and horse trailers. While electric motors have instant torque and are excellent at hauling heavy loads, a battery large enough to power a large vehicle loaded with cargo or towing a heavy trailer more than a few miles would have two huge disadvantages. First, it would have to be enormous. Second, such a large battery would make a truck far too expensive for most customers.
Some companies have toyed with the idea of a hybrid pickup truck. Ford and Toyota flirted with this idea for several years before Ford left Toyota standing at the altar like a jilted bride. General Motors says it is offering a hybrid Silverado in selected markets but the extra cost has kept sales from taking off. Dodge has shown no interest in electric trucks at all, preferring to meet tougher mileage rules with diesel engines.
Perennial industry gadfly Bob Lutz has been promising for years that VIA Motors would bring extended-range plug-in hybrid pickup trucks to market soon. The trucks would basically be Chevrolet Silverados fitted with a VIA-designed plug-in hybrid powertrain. News about VIA Motors has been conspicuously absent of late, however.
The only bright spot on the horizon for those hoping to drive a plug-in hybrid pickup truck comes from Workhorse. Based in Indiana, the company says it will bring a 5 passenger, 4 door extended-range electric pickup truck with 80 miles of range to market in 2018. Dubbed the W-15 (indicating is should have a carrying capacity of 750 pounds), the truck will have dual motors for all-wheel drive capability and a 60 kWh battery. No pricing details have been revealed.
The most unique feature of the W-15 is that it will have an onboard range extender gas engine — the same 647 cc two cylinder unit used by BMW in the range-extended versions of its i3 electric sedan. While purists may sputter that adding a gasoline engine goes against the whole purpose of making an electric vehicle, eliminating range anxiety is a crucial consideration for those thinking of laying down their hard-earned money for an electric vehicle. To sweeten the deal, Workhouse says its plug-in hybrid electric pickup will reduce fuel costs by 40% and routine maintenance expenditures by 60%. Those are the sort of numbers that gladden the heart of fleet managers.
Tesla’s Elon Musk has said from time to time that an electric pickup truck from Tesla is on his radar screen, but with the introduction of the Model 3 midsize affordable car expected in about a year and a Model Y CUV supposed to be after that, it may be a while before Tesla is able to turn its attention in that direction.
Light-Duty Closed Electric Delivery Trucks & Vans
When we think of trucks, we tend to overlook the hundreds of thousands of delivery trucks that scurry about every day delivering the millions of items that make daily life enjoyable. Whether it is delivery vans for flowers, packages, and mail or a work van that tradespeople like plumbers, electricians, and carpenters depend on, they are largely invisible to us. But why shouldn’t these vehicles be able to drive with fewer emissions while saving fuel and maintenance costs?
Almost no one is thinking about making electric trucks to serve this market, something Deutsche Post — known globally as DHL — found out when it went looking for an electric delivery van for its business. In the end, the company decided to just design and build its own. “We are purposely not reinventing the wheel. We do not produce a single component ourselves. Everything comes from a supplier,” Win Neidlinger, director of business development at Deutsche Post says. “We designed it as a tool. So the fit and finish does not need to be as good as in a passenger car,” he adds. “It did not cost billions to develop and produce. You will not believe how cheap it is to make.”
DHL’s bold gambit has struck a nerve. “They have opened up a new segment, one which the conventional carmakers have not discovered because they are too hamstrung by their own processes,” said Christoph Stuermer of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Volkswagen’s chief executive Matthias Mueller sulked: “I am annoyed beyond measure. I, of course, ask myself why Post did not talk to our VW Commercial vehicles division about doing something similar.” But apparently, Deutsche Post did talk to Volkswagen, among others, and was told to take a hike.
The market for electric delivery vans — with or without hybrid power — could be huge. Instead of fleets of trucks crisscrossing our cities spewing out exhaust emissions, urban skies could be forever less polluted, which would benefit everyone.
At first glance, the idea of an electric tractor-trailer hauling 80,000 lbs of cargo from Los Angeles to Long Island seems absurd. Wouldn’t that take a 20,000 pound battery? There would hardly be any room left over for the cargo. That doesn’t seem to concern the indomitable Elon Musk, however. When he revealed his Master Plan, Part Deux earlier this year, he included these thoughts: “The second part of the plan includes a Tesla pickup truck, a Tesla Semi, and new forms of urban transportation with high passenger density. We believe the Tesla Semi will deliver a substantial reduction in the cost of cargo transport, while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate.”
That’s it. No details, no specs, and no prices. Most people assume that the Semi will be a pure battery-electric vehicle with no range extender (engine) of any kind. It would be a betrayal of Tesla’s core values to use an internal combustion engine, wouldn’t it? That has led some to speculate that some kind of battery swapping system would need to be used.
Federal regulations limit the number of hours a truck driver can spend behind the wheel before taking a break for food and rest. Perhaps that downtime could be put to good use by swapping out a depleted battery and swapping in a new one? Or maybe Tesla will have come up with new quick-charging technology by then. A battery large enough to move a tractor trailer 400 miles or more would need to be 500 kWh in size or larger. Such an enormous battery would take hours to recharge in the absence of such a breakthrough.
Another company says it is hard at work on an extended-range electric tractor-trailer. Nikola Motors says its truck will have 2,000 horsepower, 3700 lb-ft of torque, a 325 kWh battery, 6 wheel drive with torque vectoring and a range of 1,200 thanks to an onboard natural gas—powered generator. Impressive stuff, if true. Not quite the pure electric vehicle Tesla probably has in mind, but far better than diesel emissions spewing from the exhaust stacks of all those 18-wheelers out there.
Nikola Motors “was quietly formed by founder and CEO Trevor Milton years ago to design and manufacture electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and electric vehicle drivetrain components,” according to a company press release. “By working together with some of the top engineering firms in America, we were able to design vehicles that have previously been thought impossible to design,” says Milton, who adds, “This is just the beginning of what’s ahead for America, our company and the electric vehicle market.”
That is all very interesting but will it ever actually build this electric hybrid tractor? “We’ll see,” said the Zen master.
Medium & Heavy-Duty Electric Urban Trucks
Ian Wright was one of the early members of the Tesla Motors founding team. He and Elon Musk had different ideas about how to move the electric car revolution forward. Each thought the other was looking at things through the wrong end of the telescope. Elon wanted to build a large all-electric premium sedan that would appeal to people who influence the opinions of others. Musk’s approach is logical and it has been spectacularly successful.
On the other hand, Wright believed that reducing the emissions of heavy diesel trucks that start and stop hundreds of times a day was more important. So he cashed in his Tesla stock and set off on his own to make heavy-duty plug-in electric urban trucks that would slash diesel emissions in urban communities. Wright had good reason to go in that direction. Such trucks account for about 8% of all diesel emissions even though they are just a small percentage of the overall truck fleet.
Ian started his own company which he calls Wrightspeed. Together with a team of talented engineers, he devised a heavy-duty truck that uses two electric motors that drive the rear wheels via a two speed gearbox. The instant torque provided by the motors is ideal for getting heavy trucks moving from rest and the motors can be switched to regeneration mode during deceleration to put some of that electrical energy back into the truck’s lithium-ion battery.
But the thing that really sets Wright’s trucks apart from anything else on the road is a two-stage gas turbine that is lighter and more efficient than any internal combustion engine. It can run on diesel, CNG, LNG, methane, biodiesel, kerosene, propane, heating oil, or any other combustible fuel. Because it only turns a generator and is not connected to the drive wheels, it can be set to spin at its most efficient speed — about 100,000 rpm. Wright says the turbine runs so cleanly it needs no catalytic converter to meet California’s strict emissions rules.
The truck has a range of 30 miles on battery power alone. Wright estimates that the combination of lower fuel costs and reduced maintenance expenses can save a fleet operator a half million dollars per truck during its average 12-year useful life. Slashing emissions while saving money is a winning formula for both the environment and fleet operators.
Wrightspeed currently offers the Route™ 250 powertrain for urban or suburban delivery; the Route™ 500 powertrain for city buses, beverage trucks, or other heavy delivery trucks making frequent stops; and the Route™ 1000 for refuse truck application (a product Wrightspeed wasn’t yet selling when we interviewed Ian last year).
Wrightspeed Route 250
Wrightspeed Route 500
Wrightspeed Route 1000
Wrightspeed earlier this year entered into an agreement with Mack Trucks to include its technology in Mack’s heavy-duty trucks. FedEx and others have been testing the company’s turbine hybrid powertrain for several years with positive results. It has recently moved to a larger facility and is ready to begin full production. Earlier this year, it signed a $30,000,000 deal with New Zealand’s NZ Bus to convert its diesel-powered coaches to Wrightspeed power. Diesel costs up to 3 times more on the island country than it does on the mainland. NZ Bus expects to recoup its investment in just a few years thanks to lower fuel and maintenance costs.
Summary
Most of the news regarding electric vehicles today is about passenger cars, but the most important area to focus on if the objective is to lower vehicle emissions is trucks. Light-duty trucks represent almost as much of the market as passenger cars, so carbon emissions from those vehicles deserve at least as much attention as emissions from cars. But the real benefits for the environment will come from replacing the diesel engines in medium- and heavy-duty trucks with clean electric power.
When it comes to passenger cars, the focus is on tax credits and other incentives to get people to buy. But when it comes to heavy trucks, it is just a case of economics. Diesel engine maintenance is expensive. Fuel costs can be low one year and high the next. Electric trucks protect fleet owners from variations in the cost of diesel fuel while slashing maintenance costs. The bottom line is that electric trucks are a sound business investment. The fact that they also pay big dividends for the environment is just a nice bonus for all concerned.
Companies that can bring electric trucks to market first will benefit. Those who are late to the party will suffer. If you have read this far, you will have noticed that the names of the big automakers are largely missing from the conversation. Just as with passenger cars, small innovative companies are ready to steal market share from the established industry leaders. By the time the big guys figure out what’s going on, it may be too late for them to profit from the coming electric truck revolution.
The total number of natural gas refueling stations globally will reach almost 39,300 locations by 2026, according to a new report from Navigant Research.
Since late 2014, the production of crude oil has outpaced demand, triggering a sustained collapse in world oil prices, which have remained mostly below $50 per barrel. As a result, these low prices have put pressure on the market for natural gas vehicles (NGVs) and the corresponding refueling infrastructure.
Despite the decline in oil prices, stricter emissions and fuel economy regulations mean that NG remains a very attractive alternative to gasoline and diesel in many regions and vehicle applications where electrification is not a practical alternative. While slowing growth in China is having an impact on vehicle sales, the number of NG refueling stations globally is still projected to swell at a 4.4% compound annual growth rate during the next decade.
—Sam Abuelsamid, senior research analyst with Navigant Research
Several market drivers continue to make natural gas an appealing proposition in the next decade, especially for larger trucks and buses, where electrification is not as practical, and natural gas operation can reduce the costs associated with diesel emissions after-treatment.
According to the report, tightening emissions regulations, particularly for diesel engines, are also expected to push fleets toward natural gas conversions, with refueling infrastructure to follow.
Volkswagen will launch an updated version of its Up! fuel economy champion for 2017. And, when it debuts next month at the Geneva auto show, it will debut with 89 turbo-fed horsepower and nearly 120 lb-ft of TQ. (!?)
Volkswagen’s diminutive Up! commuter has always been a favorite, being available in a number of green-ish variants that range from CNG and biomethane combustion to fully electric options. Cool as those Up!s were, you could never really say that the 54 HP Up! cars seemed like they’d be a blast to drive … with a 50% bump in power, though?
That might be OK!
In addition to more HP and TQ, the latest VW Up!, VW also changed the bumpers and lights, made smartphone integration easier and upgraded your stereo options with a few new units. One of those is found in the Up!Beats special edition model, which features a 300-watt sound system and special badging/interior graphics.
2017 VW Up! Beats Special Edition Interior
As for the rest of the Up!s, they get seven new colors (Teal Blue, Coral Red, Costa Azul, Honey Yellow, Edelweiss, Blueberry and Savanna Gold), bringing the total to thirteen. The options list includes matching interiors, contrasting roofs, colored alloys, and a bunch of decal sets to make your Volkswagen Up! yours.
You can check out a few pics of the Savanna Gold, below, then let us know if you think a power boost is what it would take to make the Up! relevant to US buyers in the comments section.
Chevrolet offers the 2015 Impala full-size sedan as an all-new bi-fuel model—the only manufacturer-produced full-size sedan in North America that can run on both compressed natural gas (CNG) and gasoline. Available at the end of 2015 to both fleet and retail customers in either LS or LT trims, the bi-fuel Impala features a dedicated version of the standard 3.6L V–6, with specific valves and hardened valve seats for improved wear resistance and durability with the CNG fuel system. The engine, mated to a six-speed automatic, is rated at an estimated 260 hp (195 kW) on gasoline and 230 horsepower (172 kW) on CNG.
EPA figures put combined fuel economy in gasoline mode at 20 mpg combined (17 mpg city/25 mpg highway), and 19 mpg combined (16 mpg city/24 mpg highway) with natural gas. That works out to 437 grams CO2 per mile with gasoline, and 343 g CO2/mile with natural gas.
The specific natural gas fuel components in the Impala include:
CNG fuel rail assembly and gaseous fuel injectors
CNG fuel tank. Mounted in the trunk, the CNG tank capacity is US 3,600 psig @ 70 ˚F, 7.8 gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE). The CNG tank has pressure relief devices that are designed to release pressure if the CNG tank is overheated or over-pressurized. If a pressure relief device releases CNG, the tank will empty and the vehicle will switch to gasoline. A loud rushing noise may be heard when the CNG is released.
Fill receptacle
High pressure lock-off (HPL)
High pressure regulator (HPR)
Hose Assembly fuel rail feed
Manual CNG shutoff valve. A manual shutoff valve is on the driver side of the vehicle in front of the rear tire. A label is on the outside of the vehicle. One-quarter turn clockwise shuts the valve off.
High pressure CNG fuel filter.
The CNG fuel system is validated by GM and covered by GM’s three-year/36,000-mile new vehicle limited bumper-to-bumper warranty and five-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, whichever comes first.
Driving the Impala. The Impala underwent a major redesign in 2014; Chevrolet basically maintained the changes for the MY 2015 line-up, of which the Bi-Fuel model is a member. Overall, the Impala is a very attractive large sedan: quiet, roomy and with a large trunk—albeit the latter attribute to reduced in the Bi-Fuel model.
The 2015 Chevrolet Impala comes standard with antilock brakes; traction and stability control; front-seat side airbags; full-length side curtain airbags; and front knee airbags. The Impala offers a choice of powertrains: the base 2.5-liter with standard stop/start; the gasoline-powered 3.6L V6; and the Bi-Fuel 3.6L V6.
The Impala runs primarily on CNG; once the fuel tank is depleted, the system automatically switches to gasoline. Drivers who wish to change fuels while driving can do so by simply pushing a button. A light on the instrument panel indicates when CNG is being used and there is no interruption in the vehicle’s performance.
Nor is there much discernible difference in most driving circumstances between the performance of the Bi-Fuel engine under gasoline or CNG modes. Equipped with the 3.6L engine, the Impala is more than adequately powered; even the step down in power output under CNG doesn’t affect the feel and performance of the car. Exceptions might be conditions such as a hard kick-down on a steep incline; even in that condition, however, the Impala felt solid and sufficiently powered.
From an driving point of view, then, the Bi-Fuel Impala inherits almost all the attributes (performance, ride and handling, connectivity, infotainment, etc.) of its conventionally-fueled 3.6L sibling—the two notable exceptions being the reduced truck space noted above, and refueling.
Refueling the Impala Bi-Fuel. There are two methods of refueling the CNG tank: fast fill or time fill. Fast fill is normally used in fuel stations for NGVs, and takes about two to five minutes for a full fill. Time fill is done with a refueling appliance, including home appliances, or a time-fill post provided by the fleet operator. Refueling time varies depending upon the refueling system used.
During fueling, CNG needs to be delivered to the vehicle at the appropriate pressure in relationship to the ambient temperature. This can be done automatically by a temperature compensation system on the CNG fuel dispenser or manually by stopping the CNG fill at a recommend pressure. GM recommends that customers use CNG refueling stations that have a temperature compensation system whenever possible.
Depending upon the CNG fill station equipment/performance, the CNG fill volume will vary—affecting overall vehicle range. In other words, even if you “fill up”, you might not actually fill the tank to its full capacity. This has nothing to do with the specifics of the Impala; it is a general attribute for NGVs with the current refilling infrastructure.
What is specific to the Impala, however, is the design of the filling receptacle. Chevrolet combined the natural gas receptacle in the same port with the gasoline fuel filler neck.
Gasoline filler neck (bottom) and CNG receptacle (top). CNG filling requires removal of the dustup (inset). Click to enlarge.
While this design works from an aesthetic and driver convenience point of view in terms of location (no trying to remember the location of two fill ports), the proximity of the two, combined with the downward angle of the CNG receptacle, in practice can make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to use certain CNG nozzles—which, unlike the nozzles used for liquid fuel, are far from uniform in form factor. A pistol grip nozzle, similar to a standard liquid fuel nozzle, fits with no problem at all—refilling is a snap (see picture below). A barrel-type nozzle may not be able to fit, on the other hand, and if it does, the space available for turning the lever is limited. On top of that, the hoses to the nozzle are stiff, and not all that amenable to creative repositioning to work the connection. The bottom line: depending upon the type of NGV station, you might not be able to fill the Impala—a situation that occurred for us when we stopped at the local waste management company for a fill from their publicly available CNG pumps. (As a side note, refilling from this particular station was no problem with the Silverado CNG we had tested earlier, due to the location of the receptacle. Earlier post.)
Top. Filling the Impala Bi-Fuel with a pistol-grip nozzle. Bottom. Example of a barrel nozzle with lever. Click to enlarge.
Bottom line. The Impala is an excellent full-size sedan, well worth consideration. The Bi-Fuel option provides an avenue for enjoying the benefits of the large sedan while reducing its carbon footprint. On the other hand, the Bi-Fuel Impala is not inexpensive (the LT model we drove tickets out at $42,625), nor is it the most fuel-efficient.
Staying with the 2015 model lineups for comparison, the Toyota Avalon (24 mpg combined, 362 g CO2/mile); the Hyundai Azera (23 mpg combined, 389 g CO2/mile); the Chrysler 300 (23 mpg combined, 386 g CO2/mile) all beat the Bi-Fuel Impala’s 20 mpg combined, 437 grams CO2 per mile (gasoline). The benefit to the Impala, of course, is the lower CO2 output with CNG (343 grams CO2 per mile).
However, Toyota offers a hybrid version of the Avalon, with 40 mpg combined and an EPA rating of 233 grams of tailpipe CO2 per mile, MSRP $36,470 - $41,700.
Consumers looking for a fuel-efficient or lower carbon full-sized sedan thus have a range of options beside the Impala, despite that vehicle’s solid quality. On the other hand, from a fleet point of view, the Impala Bi-Fuel could be quite attractive, especially if natural gas vehicles are already part of the fleet or planned.
FCA US LLC has invested $40 million in FCA Transport, the FCA US-owned truck fleet, to convert its 179 Detroit-based parts-haulers to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) rather than traditional diesel. The move gives FCA the largest private fleet of CNG-powered heavy-duty vehicles in the state of Michigan.
The company spent $1.8 million to enable the 36,000-square-foot maintenance facility to handle the new CNG-powered fleet. The $5-million on-site CNG fueling station, designed and built by TruStar Energy, is the largest private CNG station in North America.
Prior to the changeover, the FCA Transport Detroit fleet used nearly 2.6 million gallons of diesel fuel per year while driving about 16 million miles to deliver parts to assembly plants from suppliers and FCA US component facilities. The company expects to experience net fuel cost savings of about 35% per year with the CNG-powered fleet.
Beyond cost savings, FCA Transport estimates the Detroit fleet’s transition to CNG will reduce co2 emissions by more than 16,000 tons per year. This decrease is equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide emissions that come from burning more than 17 million pounds of coal, or the reduction of CO2 emissions from the annual energy use of nearly 1,500 homes.
FCA Transport drivers and mechanics participated in extensive hands-on training to prepare them to drive, fuel and maintain the new trucks. It included maintenance, repair and operating courses taught by Cummins, Allison Transmission, Agility Fuel Systems and FCA’s own in-house trainers.
The San Antonio Auto & Truck Show was the site of Green Car Journal bestowing its 2016 Green Truck of the Year award to the Ford F-150 pickup. Too bad not many people are buying those trucks. Just kidding.
The 2016 F-150 has a fuel efficiency rating of 26 miles per gallon, which isn't exactly Toyota Prius territory but does account for the best fuel economy rating of any full-size gas-powered pickup truck. We also know that improving the worst gas guzzlers on the road is more important than making the Priuseven more efficient. It also helps is that Ford makes versions of its bestselling truck that can run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and propane.
For years, the F-150 has been the country's best-selling vehicle model, so it's a good thing Ford is making a number of moves to make the vehicle greener. The most trumpeted example is Ford's extensive use of aluminum on its 2015 model-year version in order to cut weight from the truck and boost fuel efficiency as a result. Additionally, the truck includes cloth seats that use fiber made from recycled plastic bottles as well as fuel lines made with castor bean oil.
In addition to big sales, the F-150's list of truck-of-the-year awards is starting to get impressively long. Among a number of general and mainstream awards (see list below), the truck won the AAA Green Car Guide Award. Take a look at Ford's press release below.
Related Video:
FUEL EFFICIENCY, ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND SUSTAINABILITY EARN FORD F-150 2016 GREEN TRUCK OF THE YEAR AWARD SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 19, 2015 – Green Car Journal today named the Ford F-150 its 2016 Green Truck of the Year™ at the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show.
The 2016 Ford F-150 – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever – includes the highest EPA-estimated highway fuel economy rating of any full-size gasoline pickup on the market, at 26 mpg. A segment-exclusive compressed natural gas/propane gaseous fuel prep package is available for 5.0-liter V8-equipped F-150 – helping reduce operating costs and tailpipe CO2 emissions.
"The 2016 Ford F-150 is a great example of the environmental leadership that can, and should, be accomplished in the immensely popular pickup field," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher, Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. "Milestone lightweighting through the extensive use of aluminum and high-strength steel, the availability of a powerful and efficient 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, and a segment-exclusive gaseous fuel prep option that enables the F-150 to run on clean-burning compressed natural gas or propane are all important contributions that raise the bar in environmental performance."
Ford F-150 uses sustainable materials to help reduce its environmental footprint. REPREVE fiber, made from recycled plastic bottles, is available for F-150's cloth seats. By using this recycled material, Ford will divert more than 5 million plastic bottles from landfills this year.
Other eco-conscious materials employed include rice hulls to reinforce plastic used in an electrical harness, fuel lines made from castor bean oil, seats made of soybeans and post-industrial recycled cotton – one 2015 F-150 uses shoddy that includes blue jean material, bath towels and/or T-shirt material.
"We designed Ford F-150 to be a game changer," said Doug Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager. "Many have recognized F-150 as the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever, but this award is proof it's also a fuel-efficient, environmentally responsible option."
Ford F-150, its groundbreaking technology and the engineering team behind it have won the following awards and accolades:
2015 North American Truck/Utility of the Year 2015 Motor Trend Truck Trend Pickup Truck of the Year Automobile Journalists Association of Canada Pickup Truck of the Year Automobile Journalists Association of Canada Utility Vehicle of the Year Detroit News 2015 Vehicle of the Year 2015 and 2016 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Truck 2015 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Overall Kelley Blue Book 10 Best Road Trip Cars of 2015 2015 Popular Science Automotive Grand Award Winner Best of What's New 2015 MotorWeek Best Pickup Truck 2015 Detroit Free Press Truck of the Year 2015 New England Motor Press Association Yankee Cup AutoGuide 2015 Reader's Choice Truck of the Year New Car Test Drive 2015 Truck of the Year 2015 Detroit News Reader's Choice NAIAS Awards Most Innovative Automotive Science Group 2015 Best All-Around Performance Award Winner, Best Full-Size Truck of 2015, Smallest Carbon Footprint Urban Wheel Award for Urban Truck of the Year Green Car Technology Award™ Edmunds.com 2015 Most Popular Awards – large truck category Detroit Free Press Automotive Leadership Award – engineering and technology category Greater Atlanta Automobile Media Association Best Pickup/SUV 2015 New England Motor Press Association Official Winter Vehicle of New England AAA Green Car Guide Award – pickup truck category (F-150 SuperCab Lariat) TFLtruck 2015 TFL Gold Hitch Award – half-ton/light-duty category (2.7-liter V6) AutoPacific 2015 Vehicle Satisfaction Award – light-duty pickup category (second highest owner score ever and highest truck rating ever) AutoPacific 2015 Best in Class Ideal Vehicle – overall winner Altair and Center for Automotive Research Altair Enlighten Award J.D. Power and Associates J.D. Power APEAL – large light-duty pickup category Consumer Electronics Show 2016 Innovation Award – Best of Innovation honoree in vehicle intelligence category for Pro Trailer Backup Assist™ Vicentric 2015 Best Certified Pre-Owned Value in America™ – full-size half-ton pickup category
Ryder System, Inc. and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced an agreement for Ryder to switch the fuel at their stations in Orange and Fontana, CA, to Clean Energy’s Redeem renewable natural gas (RNG)—i.e., biomethane. The fuel at the two stations will be available in both compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to individual and public fleet vehicles.
Clean Energy’s renewable natural gas vehicle fuel is derived from biogenic methane or biogas—methane that is naturally generated by the decomposition of organic waste. The methane gas is then processed, purified and sent into the interstate natural gas pipeline and made available exclusively to Clean Energy customers.
Clean Energy Fuels has filed nine separate application packages overs the past few years with the California Air Resources Board (ARB) for pathways under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program.
According to the packages, the carbon intensity (CI) of the various types of biomethane fuel (CNG, L-CNG and LNG) ranges from a low of 13.29 gCO2e/MJ for a landfill gas to CNG pathway to 45.95 gCO2e/MJ for a L-CNG pathway. CI values vary depending upon the location and energy sources used for processing.
ARB’s base CI for North American natural gas delivered via pipeline (and compressed in California) is 68.00 gCO2e/MJ. The 2014 baseline CIs for gasoline and diesel are 96.48 and 95.58 gCO2e/MJ, respectively.
By making the switch to Redeem, Ryder is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 6,300 metric tons per year using current fuel volumes. This would be the equivalent of removing approximately 1,319 passenger cars from the road annually.
As part of the fuel agreement, Clean Energy also will be providing fuel station maintenance services at Ryder’s natural gas fueling stations in Fontana and Orange, CA. Ryder has a history of innovation and customer service and is the first and only truck leasing and logistics company to have on-site CNG and LNG fuels available to the public. Ryder selected Clean Energy for its experience maintaining its own network of public access stations as well the “behind the fence” fueling operations at more than 34 customer stations.
Ryder is a leader in natural gas vehicle solutions for the commercial transportation industry, with more than 40 million miles of experience, 18 strategic natural gas vehicle maintenance markets, and more than 4,000 natural gas vehicle trained personnel. Ryder has been the pioneer in transitioning their fleets to cleaner fuels and today operates both CNG and LNG vehicles supported by 34 Clean Energy locations.
Redeem biomethane vehicle fuel is procured from more than 15 biomethane production facilities, including two owned and operated by Clean Energy. Clean Energy is on track to deliver 40 million gallons of Redeem in 2015.
Have you ever thought about the carbon footprint of your money?
Everything we use has to be transported from place to place, including the cash in our wallets. And the big, hulking diesel armored trucks that move money around are hardly the most fuel-efficient vehicles.
Hoping to temper the all-important emphasis on security with some green thinking, three companies have just unveiled a cleaner alternative to the traditional armored truck.
Six trucks were converted by Efficient Drivetrains Inc. and North American Repower, and will begin hauling valuables around the Los Angeles area with Sectran Security next year.
Clean Energy Fuels natural gas refueling station Long Beach, California.
Efficient Drivetrains has already tried to market a plug-in hybrid SUV in Asia, while North American Repower specializes in natural-gas conversions.
An armored truck seemed like a good platform for the joint project because these vehicles most of their time in urban traffic, making many stops for deliveries.
During stops, a standard truck's diesel engine is typically left idling for security purposes.
However, California regulations limit idling to 5 minutes, the partners say.
The powertrain's electric component offers a way around that issue, while the naturalgas power helps to reduce emissions while running the engine.
The demonstration fleet of six trucks will conserve 31,000 gallons of diesel per year, and cut emissions by 99.9 percent, the companies claim.
2015 Chevrolet Impala Bi-Fuel Natural Gas
Natural gas has proven to be more acceptable as a fuel for fleets than individual passenger cars.
The lack of public fueling stations makes owning a natural-gas car somewhat inconvenient, but fleet operators can secure supplies of the fuel to distribute to their vehicles.
After 15 years of selling a natural-gas powered Civic sedan, Honda has withdrawn that model for 2016 after concluding that prospects for natural gas-fueled passenger vehicles remained dim.
Since most fleet vehicles operate within confined service areas, operators count on them not straying too far from a centralized fueling source, often "back at base" every night.
The armored-truck project received a $3 million grant from the California Energy Commission, along with a matching amount of private funds.
While this project will only demonstrate these unusual vehicles, perhaps more will be built if security companies show interest.
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