CleanFUEL USA, the nation’s first developer of liquid propane fuel injection systems, says it has received Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) certification for the S2G chassis from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC).
The engine and fuel system may now be purchased and used in all 50 states and Canada for up to 33,000 lbs GVWR.
“We are thrilled with our emissions results and excited to move forward to production,” said Wayne Moore, COO of CleanFUEL USA. “As the only propane autogas vehicle available on the market with a GVWR of 33,000 lbs, the S2G greatly expands fleet offerings using this clean and abundant alternative fuel.”
The chassis, which includes an 8-liter engine built by Powertrain Integration from a General Motors long block and a Liquid Propane Injection (LPI) system manufactured by CleanFUEL USA, will be in full production by early September, the company says.
Initial chassis platforms include a propane bobtail delivery vehicle and a propane autogas school bus, the Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2.
The S2G claims a carbon monoxide rating 60 percent below and a nitrogen oxide rating 20 percent below EPA standards for heavy duty vehicles.
In addition to emissions certification, the S2G has undergone years of rigorous and comprehensive reliability testing, such as validation of the complete engine assembly (including the heavy duty accessory drives), engine durability tests, heavy-load testing and multiple rounds of high-altitude, cold and hot weather testing.
“Our vehicles are held to an immensely high engineering standard, and the S2G is certainly no exception,” said Bryan Henke, FCCC’s manager of product marketing. “The countless hours that the engineering teams put into testing and validating each and every component of the chassis, engine and fuel system is paying off as we are now able to offer a superb propane autogas product to the medium-duty market.”
The factory-installed fuel system is supported through FCCC’s nationwide service network.
Propane autogas, a leading alternative fuel in the U.S., costs an average of 30 to 40 percent less than gasoline and about 50 percent less than diesel.
The S2G joins other propane autogas vehicles CARB-certified with CleanFUEL USA’s LPI system, including the GM 6.0-liter G4500.
