March 5, 201214 yr GM adds natural-gas option to big heavy-duty pickups. Many have touted natural gas as savior to the US's dependency on oil. I think that it would be a great switch but most companies have been reluctant. Now, GM has at least given a nod by giving it as an option for some vehicles. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/03/gm-conpressed-natural-gas-cng-chevrolet-silverado-gmc-sierra/1#.T1TIJ8yjInB Do you think this is the wave of the future? Is this the same bi fuel option that Brazil and other countries have?
March 5, 201214 yr Active Members MEM has had their LG&W trucks running on LNG for many years. As I understand it, the engines run "forever" without changing spark plugs and having very clean oil because NG burns so cleanly. However, there is only one "filling station" in town and it of course belongs to the utility provider. Also, the tanks on the trucks are heavily insulated which is more or less just a detail but necessary. This system works fine for them because all the workers come and go from the same location every day. Doesn't Brazil rely upon alcohol for their "other" fuel in addition to gasoline? Personally I like LNG so long as filling stations are readily available and the price per BTU is comparable. Of course, that is exactly the "problem" with anything other than gasoline, the cost and time to build an infrastructure to deliver it. Something that looks like gasoline and works like gasoline will be the "best" solution for quite some time. Best regards, RA1
March 5, 201214 yr Active Members We'd certainly be in a better position today if all GM's BS flex-fuel/corn lobby cars/SUVs were instead LNG capable. But then again the big increase in available natural gas is a fairly new thing... and is largely made possible by questionable practices like fraking...
March 5, 201214 yr In California all of the city trucks, the city buses and the trash trucks are all natural gas fueled trucks. I absolutely believe this is the way of the future especially for huge vehicles. We'll see how it moves down the ranks to private vehicles. I'm investing as such.
March 5, 201214 yr Active Members Wish the energy density was a bit better so it would be a good alternative for 18-wheelers too. But all depot and city-service type vehicles should be CNG or LNG. And there's no reason they can't be at least mild/start-stop hybrids too! And they are actually available as brand new passenger cars right now, and they earn you a carpool sticker!
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