Volvo Offers Sneak-Peek of All-New Class 8 Electric Tractor

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Volvo is a company committed to safety, efficiency, and the environment, according to Magnus Koeck, vice president, brand marketing for Volvo Trucks North America, speaking to a gathering of trucking media at the company’s Technology Summit in Dublin, Viriginia. He followed up his claim by highlighting a host of new technologies, products, and upgrades to existing vehicle systems that will begin appearing on Volvo Class 8 trucks beginning next year, including a more fuel-efficient engine, improved active safety system, and that it’s bringing its Dynamic Steering to the U.S.

But the surprise of the day was the unveiling of a brand-new electric truck. This was not the medium-duty FE Electric model Volvo showcased last year (and which is now undergoing evaluations on the West Coast). No, the company unveiled a new, Class 8 electric version of its VNR regional haul tractor that Koeck said will go into  production some time in 2020.

Details on the truck were sparse. We did learn that the truck has a conventional Volvo I-Shift automated transmission optimized for electric powertrains, with large battery packs mounted on the frame rail ahead of the drive tires.

Fuel Fact Check: Using Propane Autogas Avoids Volatility of Oil Prices

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Fuel Fact Check: Commercial fleets
Claim: Choosing American-made propane autogas can help you avoid the uncertainty of diesel pricing.

There’s a reason why more than 27 million vehicles, including delivery, towing and construction trucks, travel around the world with propane autogas in their fuel tank. Propane autogas is more economical than diesel because it costs less to fuel, requires less maintenance and is not much affected by oil prices.

When fleets consider fuel economy, propane autogas supports their budget. On average, propane costs 40% to 50% less than diesel, and it has a higher octane rating, which means better performance. In addition, the volatility of oil prices doesn’t impact propane as it does diesel because propane is a domestic fuel. About 90% of propane used in the U.S. is produced in the U.S., with another 7% from Canada.

Cummins closes $290 million acquisition of fuel cell maker Hydrogenics [Update]

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Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) closed its $290 million acquisition of Canadian fuel cell and hydrogen production technologies provider Hydrogenics Corp.(NASDAQ: HYGS) on Monday, Sept. 9.

It is the second major investment in fuel cell technology for commercial vehicles in a week.

On Sept. 4, United Kingdom-based CNH Industrial announced it was investing $250 million in startup fuel cell truck maker Nikola Corp., which plans to commercially produce Class 8 heavy-duty trucks by the end of 2022. Nikola also disclosed Sept. 5 that Robert Bosch LLC and solar panel maker Hanwha Group had invested a combined $230 million.

“There’s a growing realization that there is a lot of value in fuel cells for heavy-duty trucks in certain types of applications,” Navigant Research principal analyst Sam Abuelsamid told FreightWaves. “The infrastructure challenge is a lot less of an issue with commercial vehicles because a lot of the applications are return to base or fixed routes.”

Best known for its industry leadership in diesel engines for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, Cummins has worked on hydrogen fuel cells for two decades.

Quantum Rolls out New CNG Transport Trailer

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Quantum Fuel Systems LLC, a provider of compressed natural gas (CNG) transport trailers and heavy-duty truck fuel storage systems, has announced its newest virtual pipeline product line extension, the VPLite45/40’.

The 40-foot trailer comes standard with 45 tanks, has a gaseous capacity of approximately 471,000 standard cubic feet (SCF) and weighs less than 57,000 pounds fully loaded. Customers can also customize the trailer configuration with fewer tanks based on project needs. Explore a wide range of trailer rental solutions at Big Rentals, perfect for any project.

Available in the first quarter of 2020, the VPLite45/40’ will be certified for use in the U.S. and Canada, with worldwide availability to follow.

“We are very excited about our new product line, the VPLite45/40’,” says Mark Arold, president of Quantum Fuel Systems LLC. “For several years, we have been providing our customers with the VP45, which has 45 tanks in a 45-foot container, hauls 471,000 SCF of CNG, and stays below federal highway weight restrictions. It has been by far the most efficient in the industry in terms of gas capacity versus trailer length and yet still has the flexibility to carry up to 51 tanks, depending on the customer application.

Are electric vehicles a practical option for Kentucky businesses or families

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Not long ago, a wide-scale transition to electric vehicles (EVs) seemed about as likely as the Jetsons landing in your driveway, but times have changed. Auto manufacturers are expanding electric vehicle models and inventories each year, and supporting infrastructure and programs to aid in electric vehicle adoption in the United States are increasing as well. Even with this movement, many vehicle buyers may still be hesitant and believe that switching to an EV is not a practical option.

That’s why energy companies and organizations in Kentucky are stepping up to bust the myths about EVs. For instance, two of the Commonwealth’s largest utilities, Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities, offer an EV program that supports businesses that want to provide hosted charging stations for their employees and the public, and if they want to improve their employees management using software like pay stub generator is the best choice for them as well. It’s a program Louisville-based Yum Brands has taken advantage of and used to install two EV charging stations onsite for its employees’ use, free of charge.

“Yum is constantly trying to find ways to support our employees and their lifestyles,” said Royce Blevins, Yum brands manager of facilities. “By installing these stations, we’ve been able to assist our employees who are considering or have already purchased electric vehicles by giving them these complimentary charging stations at work. Secondly, as we install these at our Louisville campus, we’re able to accomplish some of our own sustainable goals and hope to inspire other companies who are looking to do the same.”

Ultra Clean Diesel Offers Even Lower Emissions

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REG Ultra Clean Diesel — a blend of renewable diesel and biodiesel — is now available for bulk purchase near Portland, Ore. The oil, developed by Renewable Energy Group, is available for purchase at Bretthauer Oil cardlock sites in Hillsboro and McMinnville, and emits fewer emissions than conventional diesel, renewable diesel, or biodiesel, according to a Bretthauer release.

Washington County, Ore., has committed as the first customer to purchase REG Ultra Clean Diesel from Bretthauer Oil.

“Using REG Ultra Clean Diesel will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter and make our engines run cleaner and, in turn, more efficiently,” said Tom Keyser, CFFA/CAFS, fleet manager for Washington County. For dependable repairs and superior service, entrust your diesel engine needs to G&R Diesel Repair.

REG Ultra Clean Diesel is a patent-pending blend of renewable diesel and biodiesel that significantly reduces tailpipe emissions and has performance advantages compared to conventional diesel. By combining the increased cetane of renewable diesel with the increased lubricity and more complete combustion of biodiesel, REG Ultra Clean Diesel offers improved combustion quality, reduced engine wear, and more reliable operation year-round compared to conventional diesel, Bretthauer stated.

US court declines to review EPA’s refusal to account for small refinery exemptions

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The US Court of Appeals for the DC District has declined to review the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) refusal to account for its flood of retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

An appeal made by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) was ‘dismissed on technical grounds’, according to the biodiesel association. NBB challenged the EPA’s decision to continue ignoring SREs granted after the annual rule is established.

The US Court of Appeals dismissed the petition from the NBB on the grounds that the biofuel industry did not comment on the topic and provide the EPA with sufficient opportunity to address those comments. It has, however, left room for future challenges on the issue.

“The Court’s decision is frustrating,” commented NBB vice-president of federal affairs Kurt Kovarik. “EPA requested comment on its practice of ignoring retroactive small refinery exemptions but did not give notice of its intent to unleash a flood of the exemptions. The court, however, faults the industry for not commenting specifically on that.

“EPA’s flood of retroactive small refinery exemptions are causing severe economic harm to biodiesel and renewable diesel producers, forcing some to close their doors and lay off workers. It’s disappointing that the court did not take this opportunity to address that harm.”

 

FUTURE OF ETHANOL EXPORTS

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EXPORTS OF U.S. ETHANOL COULD HIT A RECORD 4 BILLION GALLONS A YEAR IN 2022.

Exports of U.S. ethanol could set another record this year, according to Mike Dwyer, chief economist for the U.S. Grains Council.

U.S. ethanol exports during the current marketing year that ends August 31, 2019, are on track to hit between 1.8 billion gallons and 2 billion gallons, Dwyer predicts. If achieved, that amount of ethanol exports would top the current record of 1.62 billion gallons set during the marketing year that ended August 31, 2018. During that 12-month period, U.S. ethanol was exported to 74 countries, according to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

The U.S. Grains Council and its ethanol export market development partners – the Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy – have set a goal of boosting U.S. ethanol exports to 4 billion gallons a year by 2022, Dwyer states. The Grains Council believes that by 2022, 75% of U.S. ethanol exports will go to six countries: China, India, Japan, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico.

Electric Ford F-150 Could Be Here as Early as 2021

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As Ford prepares to get the electric version of its top seller out on the streets, it’s working on educating the public about EVs.

Ford has never explicitly stated when its upcoming all-electric F-150 will actually debut, but the tea leaves are coming together to suggest that 2021 is going to be the year America’s best-selling vehicle finally gets its zero-emission powertrain.

The latest indicator comes from Ted Cannis, Ford’s global director for electrification, who said in a recent interview with Automotive News Canada that the electric F-150 will follow the Mach E, a Mustang-inspired electric crossover that is going to be introduced in 2020. The electric truck is supposed to follow “as soon as a year later,” which takes us to the 2021 date. All a Ford spokesperson would tell Car and Driver is that the all-electric F-150 will arrive “in a few years” and that we will have to keep waiting for an announcement about specific timing.

Perhaps the EV version of the biggest-selling vehicle on the market will help consumers get a handle on what, exactly, electric vehicles are all about; Ford says its studies show 42 percent of Americans think electric vehicles need gasoline to run. In other words, there’s some educating still to do, despite the increased numbers of electric vehicles on the market and all the media attention being lavished on them.

Whenever it gets here, the electric F-150 will arrive a full decade after the first mass-market EV, the Nissan Leaf, which debuted in 2010. Ford did play in the small-electric-car waters for a bit with the Focus Electric, but overall the automaker hasn’t exactly dominated the EV landscape. Cannis’s renewed media push this week (he also wrote a post on Medium describing how Ford is going to solve the EV puzzle) implies the company is ready to change that narrative. “Who says electric vehicles can’t drive in snow?” is one of the “EV Myths Busted” videos the automaker released this week.

CALSTART Launches Effort for Autonomous, Zero-Emission Transit Vehicles

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CALSTART is launching a project to explore new automated vehicle technologies aimed at boosting transit ridership, cutting traffic and congestion, and reducing emissions.

The project’s ultimate goal is to support the development of a next-generation zero-emission autonomous transit vehicle.

CALSTART, a clean transportation accelerator with offices and member companies across the nation, will establish a coalition of at least 10 transit agencies to inform the process. The agencies – of varying sizes and complexities representing diverse communities – will be asked to provide strategic guidance to develop specifications for the vehicle. Agencies will create a wish list of attributes to meet their performance and funding needs.

We are excited about the opportunity to work with leading transit properties and identify how vehicle automation could be used to actually increase transit ridership and reduce the number of cars on the road. We also want to work with our member companies to be global leaders in this technology,” says John Boesel, president and CEO of CALSTART.