LNG: MORE EFFICIENT FUEL * Japan
* Tokyo - Truck makers steering away from diesel
--- The shift from diesel as an automotive fuel is gaining traction in not only passenger vehicles, but also commercial trucks... While a majority of such trucks are now diesels, a number of countries are moving to wean themselves off the fuel. Natural gas, a cleaner and more economical alternative that can offer an equivalent driving range, may become a mainstay in the sector... Large trucks that run on liquefied natural gas in Japan range of around 1,500km on a full tank will equal that of a diesel. The price will be about 19 million yen ($176,000)... Natural-gas technologies are mature and can support the type of long-haul transport that electric vehicles could be hard-pressed to handle... Isuzu Motors is working to double the driving range of natural-gas trucks. An Isuzu truck that uses compressed natural gas as fuel has a range of around 500km, falling far short of diesels... Globally, natural-gas vehicles number around 24 million. China, the world's largest auto market, accounts for the most at 5 million units. Electric vehicles, by comparison, come to only around 2 million... Natural-gas vehicles are similar in design to gasoline vehicles and offer cleaner emissions, emitting 15% less carbon dioxide than diesels. Fuel costs could also be about 40% cheaper for LNG than for diesel...
(Photo: Italian company Iveco sells natural-gas trucks and buses mainly in Europe) -- Tokyo, Japan - Asia Nikkei - September 9, 2017