Tweet
I'm considering CNG for the shuttle service I operate and I was looking for some opinions of people with CNG experience about the potential cost savings (or lack of) for using CNG in my application. I realize I've got a lot of variables going on here - but any advice is appreciated:
We have 3 vehicles, one is a 2006 Ford E-350 15 passenger van with 5.4 V8 that I understand is readily convertible to CNG. The other two are 2006 Ford E-250 5.4 V8 cargo vans that have been converted to passenger vehicles by a major van conversion company. I think these two might not have a certified conversion available for them. But if the cost savings is significant enough, changing vehicles is an option.
Among these three vehicles we burn between 105 and 140 gallons of gasoline per day, depending mainly on ambient temperature. We operate 7 days per week, and fuel bills could easily total $12,000 per month. Gasoline prices are about $3.92 per gallon here while CNG price from the city gas co works out to about $1.59 per GGE. Nearest CNG station is selling at $2.39 per GGE though.
One round-trip run for a shuttle is 330 miles and the vehicles get between 12 and 16 MPG. We can only fuel once before the trip begins, and once at midpoint of the trip. I realize this could be a stumbling block for me. I see the following possible options:
1. Somehow stuffing about 32 GGE on board an exclusively CNG van and fueling once either at midpoint or at the beginning of the trip.
2. Stuffing about 22 GGE on board a bi-fuel van with a spare 10 gallon gasoline tank and fueling CNG once per trip either at the midpoint or beginning.
3. Having a 16 GGE tank on board an exclusive CNG van and fueling at the beginning and midpoint of the round-trip.
4. Having a 12 GGE tank on board a bi-fuel van with a spare 15 gallon gasoline tank and fueling CNG at the beginning and midpoint of the round-trip.
Other issues: At the beginning of my trip, there is no local CNG vehicle fill station. We would need to purchase filling equipment, and it could not be a slow fill system because there is not enough time - we have about 1/2 hour or so to fill the vehicles between runs. At the midpoint of the run, there is a filling station, but I'll need another option because they aren't open on Saturday or Sunday. We could consider having our own filling equipment at both ends - but it seems like the cost is really going up into the range of not practical.
Seems like I've got a lot working against me, but I'm just wondering what someone with some CNG fleet experience thinks.... Could it be done cost effectively?
We have 3 vehicles, one is a 2006 Ford E-350 15 passenger van with 5.4 V8 that I understand is readily convertible to CNG. The other two are 2006 Ford E-250 5.4 V8 cargo vans that have been converted to passenger vehicles by a major van conversion company. I think these two might not have a certified conversion available for them. But if the cost savings is significant enough, changing vehicles is an option.
Among these three vehicles we burn between 105 and 140 gallons of gasoline per day, depending mainly on ambient temperature. We operate 7 days per week, and fuel bills could easily total $12,000 per month. Gasoline prices are about $3.92 per gallon here while CNG price from the city gas co works out to about $1.59 per GGE. Nearest CNG station is selling at $2.39 per GGE though.
One round-trip run for a shuttle is 330 miles and the vehicles get between 12 and 16 MPG. We can only fuel once before the trip begins, and once at midpoint of the trip. I realize this could be a stumbling block for me. I see the following possible options:
1. Somehow stuffing about 32 GGE on board an exclusively CNG van and fueling once either at midpoint or at the beginning of the trip.
2. Stuffing about 22 GGE on board a bi-fuel van with a spare 10 gallon gasoline tank and fueling CNG once per trip either at the midpoint or beginning.
3. Having a 16 GGE tank on board an exclusive CNG van and fueling at the beginning and midpoint of the round-trip.
4. Having a 12 GGE tank on board a bi-fuel van with a spare 15 gallon gasoline tank and fueling CNG at the beginning and midpoint of the round-trip.
Other issues: At the beginning of my trip, there is no local CNG vehicle fill station. We would need to purchase filling equipment, and it could not be a slow fill system because there is not enough time - we have about 1/2 hour or so to fill the vehicles between runs. At the midpoint of the run, there is a filling station, but I'll need another option because they aren't open on Saturday or Sunday. We could consider having our own filling equipment at both ends - but it seems like the cost is really going up into the range of not practical.
Seems like I've got a lot working against me, but I'm just wondering what someone with some CNG fleet experience thinks.... Could it be done cost effectively?
Comment