A collaboration with Shell to coordinate efforts and support activities that encourage the use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a fuel for heavy-duty commercial vehicles has been announced by Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks.
“Mack has had natural gas-powered vehicles in customer service since 2009, and we look forward to working with Shell and other fuel providers to further support the burgeoning natural gas truck market here in North America,” said Kevin Flaherty, president of Mack Trucks North American Sales & Marketing.
“Customer interest in natural gas as a heavy-duty truck fuel will only continue to grow,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing. “This agreement is part of our effort to collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure that the market is supported with the necessary infrastructure.”
The agreement will foster collaboration on multiple issues, including emissions and fuel specifications, as well as increased knowledge sharing. The agreement is not exclusive and does not prevent Mack or Volvo from working with other partners.
Mack currently offers natural gas-powered TerraPro refuse and Pinnacle on-highway models. The company also announced plans to launch a natural gas-powered Granite for the construction segment in 2013, equipped with a Cummins Westport ISX12G spark-ignited engine, which can run on LNG as well as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
Volvo Trucks recently announced the development of its proprietary 13-liter LNG engine for North America. The company currently offers a natural gas-powered option for the Volvo VNM day cab and will offer a natural gas-powered version of the Volvo VNL day cab this year. Both models utilize spark-ignited engines.
Volvo Trucks
www.volvotrucks.com/trucks/na/en-us
