LPG range extender debuts in London

© auto-gas.netHeavy-duty trucks can hardly be replaced, but their fuel can!

LPG autogas is seldom used on heavy-duty trucks, at least in Europe. If it is, it's mostly through diesel-gas blending applications, since practically all truck tractors are oil burners. However, during the Freight in the City exhibition in London in early November, 2017, an electric truck featuring an LPG-powered combustion range extender, developed jointly by EMOSS of the Netherlands and Calor of Great Britain, was unveiled.

The autogas-fueled unit does not generate power transmitted directly to the vehicle's wheels. Instead, it produces electric energy for the battery (once it becomes depleted), which in turn feeds the electric motors. Complicated? It may sound so, but in reality it's much more energy-efficient to motivate the truck this way than to drive the wheels directly from the LPG-powered engine.

Quite frankly, without the LPG range extender the hauler would be very impractical, since its battery-only range is limited to 40 miles/54 km. With the autogas unit on board and a full tank, the truck can cover up to 250 miles/400 km before running out of juice and it can be switched to EV-only mode in order to enter city centres without having to pay congestion charges. In fact, the vehicle features technology allowing it to automatically turn into a battery electric truck when entering a regulated traffic zone.

As the UK government continues to put pressure on the transport industry to find cleaner ways of operating, the new LPG range extender with EMOSS presents an exciting opportunity for rigid trucks. With trucks fitted with LPG range extenders able to switch entirely to electric when operating in city centres or air quality zones we are excited to announce this ground-breaking transport innovation.

Paul Blacklock, Head of Strategy and Corporate Affairs, Calor

In order to further boost the environmental potential of the LPG-powered electric truck (and any other autogas-fueled car, for that matter), Calor will start retail sales of bio-LPG in 2018. Produced from renewable resources, the fuel burns as clean as regular LPG, but offers near-zero carbon footprint on a well-to-wheel basis. We hope to see the EMOSS/Calor truck go from concept to reality as soon as possible.