San Diego-based alternative fuel system maker Clean Air Partners, which today changed its name to Clean Air Power (CAP), thinks the international truck market now offers the best growth potential for its technology.
“The international market is becoming more attractive than our home market in the southwestern United States in some cases largely because the economics of alternative fuels are better,” president & CEO Dan Kabel told Fleet Owner.
He pointed to the truck market in the United Kingdom as an example.
“The cost of diesel is so high here relative to the U.S. that switching to natural gas as the primary fuel can save U.K. fleets 20% to 25% in fuel costs for the life of the vehicle,” he explained.
Dual-Fuel, developed by CAP in 1991, enables diesel engines to run almost completely on natural gas while using a small amount of diesel fuel as a liquid spark plug, according to CAP. This system allows fleets to continue using diesel-style compression and get low-end torque and a long lifecycle while gaining low emission benefits.
CAP’s system can be used on heavy-duty truck engines up to 12 liters, and Kabel noted the company plans to offer modifications for even bigger bore truck units. To date the company has converted 1,700 trucks in the U.S. to operate with its system, he said.