Archive for January 2nd, 2013

The economic and environmental benefits of LNG vehicles are clear. So why has adoption lagged? Credit: Stephen Petit.

A milestone of sorts was reached the week before Christmas: Nicole Lussier, president of Excellence Peterbilt, announced that the company had put “Canada’s first heavy-duty rental truck powered by liquefied natural gas into service.”

Collaborating with their partners — Peterbilt Motors, PacLease, Gaz Metro Transport Solutions and Westport HD — Excellent Peterbilt, according to Lussier, is “offering private and for-hire transporters an opportunity to test drive and compare the economic and environmental benefits of this alternative technology.”

LNG is seen as a possible alternative to conventional diesel gasoline in heavy trucks. According to a recent news advisory from CNW Telbec, Gaz Metro Transport Solutions says heavy diesel trucks “emit 28% of the GHG emissions in Québec, while representing only 2% of all vehicles.” If a significant portion of that fleet can be switched to LNG, greenhouse gas emissions can be lowered. This makes LNG politically attractive. Read the rest of this entry »