Ford says YES to CNG F-150!

[two_bit_score]

Natural gas is plentiful in America. It's cheap as a motor fuel. It's less environmentally sensitive. It's available on almost every street in America due to an existing network of pipelines. Almost every car, truck and tractor in America can be powered by clean burning natural gas.

Sure there are limitations. You cant fly a rocket to the moon on standard unleaded gasoline either.

Ford has taken a major lead in producing this truck. Is it THE answer for everyone? 'Course not.

I hope this is a successful venture for Ford and I commend them for doing it. I think it will lead to more CNG vehicles and more CNG fueling stations which will be better for the economy and our country.
.

 

[WilliamBos]

Natural gas is plentiful in America. It's cheap as a motor fuel. It's less environmentally sensitive. It's available on almost every street in America due to an existing network of pipelines. Almost every car, truck and tractor in America can be powered by clean burning natural gas.

Sure there are limitations. You cant fly a rocket to the moon on standard unleaded gasoline either.

Ford has taken a major lead in producing this truck. Is it THE answer for everyone? 'Course not.

I hope this is a successful venture for Ford and I commend them for doing it. I think it will lead to more CNG vehicles and more CNG fueling stations which will be better for the economy and our country.
.

By America, you mean USA, right? No where near as plentiful up here, especially rural areas.

This is fords second kick at this, will be fine for city dwellers.

Just remember,CNG is also non renewable.

 

[JasG]

I worked for a natural gas company that had their entire fleet of service trucks on CNG.They could run about 45-50 miles before needing to refuel. When they had natural gas problems in their outer service areas we couldn't respond because of the short range and lack of fueling stations. Before I retired 3 years ago our entire fleet was back to gasoline.

I know some of the systems were a gas system and distance was a huge issue and the tanks were large. Now they are using liquefied and the tanks can be smaller and distance greater. The article says for is claiming 700 miles. Although usually they refer to it as LNG, but I've also seen it as CNG which would be the gas just compressed.

 

[JasG]

By America, you mean USA, right? No where near as plentiful up here, especially rural areas.

This is fords second kick at this, will be fine for city dwellers.

Just remember,CNG is also non renewable.

Actually Natural gas is renewable, there is very little difference between that and straight methane. Wood, trash, grass, and many other things can be used as sources of methane. Many landfills and farms are producing this and in some cases is pumped right into the gas lines, others it is used to generate power.

Natural gas is between 70 and 95% methane.

http://www.toutsurlegaznaturel.com/pdf/THEABCs.pdf

 

[johnk]

The ones in our trucks were 3000 PSI if I remember correctly. They say they are accident tested but I imagine if hit at a RXR crossing or by a tractor trailer there would be quite an explosion if ruptured.

 

[Stimw]

A company that I did business with back in the low 90's had a fleet of P-30 Vans delivering bread. The trucks had been converted to LP and the company had a very large tank and fill station on their property which had a RR spur behind it to refill.
They had saved all of the gasoline components and were converting the trucks back to gas back then. Engines were throttle body systems.
Old T. Boone Pickens spent over $80 million promoting NG for Semi's but I haven't seen one around here. ????

 

[HappyOne]

Shame there not offering it in F250's and F350's.

 

[timster2]

CNG has a long way to go to become mainstream. As a fleet fuel it works in limited locations. The up charges for a CNG option is expensive and the range is very limited. With CNG you give up cargo volume for fuel storage. GM had some pick up trucks for a year and after they had some cylinder failures the program was halted the vehicles, which were lease only, returned to GM and crushed. Dodge offered a CNG van, long gone.

There are no five gallon cans for CNG if you run out on the road you have to be towed to a fuel station. Fuel stations are mostly owned by fleets or municipalities and the general public does not have access. Some service stations have CNG but they are few and far between. Compressor stations are expensive. If several vehicles have fueled before you in a short time it could take a half an hour or more to fuel your vehicle (personal experience). Like that air compressor you have in the shop when you run out of air in the storage tank you have to wait for the compressor to catch up. Bigger compressor faster recovery but very very expensive. It takes a lot of compressor to get CNG to 3600 psi into your fuel cylinder.

CNG is less expensive, however, as soon as the government sees that they are not getting the fuel tax like gasoline that will be fixed. A home fuel compressor sounds good but you need to get them passed by building inspectors, permits, fire marshals etc. It has been done but on a one at a time basis with lots of training and convincing of regulators. Home compressors take overnight to fuel the average vehicle.

It has taken well over twenty years of development to get this far. This is not the first time CNG is being touted as the next best fuel.

 

[aczlan]

Yet CNG is very common in Europe and in South America. CNG filling stations are all over down there.

Aaron Z

 

[HappyOne]

Since Ford and several conversion kits let you run both CNG and Gasoline, I doubt you would find yourself stranded anytime soon. Given that so many will have the option to fill up at home, I think CNG will have an appeal similar to electric cars you plug in at home.