Hello from Italy

[Veltroo]

Dear everyone i'm a newbie from Italy.
I'm very interested in the CNG market of the USA. If anyone can help me i have some questions:
1) part from the official list of the NGV America, which vehicle either CNG dedicated or bi fuel lacks in the offers of the US Manufacturers? Middle size SUV? A sport car that can be use as icon?
2) Which is , on your opinion the idel kind of CNG converted vehicle in USA?
3) What do you think is more important to push up the market? tax incentives, more models offer? easier procedures for conversions?

If anyone is interested i'm drinving a brand new ecofuel Passat 1.4 TSI downsized double turbo engine 4 cylinder with 150 PS and some 300 Nm torque. 460 km with 15 euro (let's say 18$) t italian speed (highway permitted 150km/h), it's really difficult for us european to understand why in US just the Honda produce a dedicated vehicle that is everything but the state of art of dedicated CNG in worldwide production.
Think that the most saled midsize MPV (i think a popular kinda of vehicle in the USA) in Europe Asia and South America is manufactured by the General Motors.
Huge hugs from the Spaghetti land.
Looking forward to be in the USA in the next 10 days.
Bless you all.
Luc

[afvman]

Re: Hello from Italy

Hello Luc!

We have you/Italy to thank for much of the technology for CNG vehicles. Your country has a long history of successful conversions. To answer your questions...

1. no sportscars yet available on CNG...the thrust of our R&D seems to be EV's and hybrids. It's a shame since we have the ability to transition to natural gas now! In the meantime, aftermarket conversions rule!
2. Heavy duty platforms certainly make the most sense for natural gas in that...they use the most fuel! I just had a chance to drive the Fiat Ducato last week! Can't wait until we can get it in the U.S.! 3.0L, turbocharged and it was QUICK!
3. Infrastructure...not enough fill stations. But, BRC (in Italy) has just re-introduced the FuelMaker as an option for home refueling. Thanks!

Glad you joined the forum and we look forward to your insights.

Best regards,

afvman/Bill
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Ciao Luc!


Noi abbiamo lei/Italia per ringraziare per molta della tecnologia per i veicoli di CNG. Il Suo paese ha una storia lunga di conversioni riuscite. Rispondere alle Sue domande...

1. nessun sportscars ancora disponibile su CNG... la spinta del nostro R&D sembra essere EV ed ibridi. È una vergogna da quando noi ora abbiamo l'abilità a transizione alla naturale benzina! Nel frattempo, regola di conversioni di dopolistino!
2. Piattaforme di dovere pesanti certamente hanno il più senso per naturale benzina in che... loro usano il più combustibile! Io appena avevo avuto un'opportunità di guidare il Fiat Ducato la settimana scorsa! Non può aspettare finché noi possiamo trovarlo negli Stati Uniti! 3.0L, turbocharged ed erano Rapidi!
3. Infrastruttura... non abbastanza riempimento colloca. Ma, BRC (in Italia) ha re-presentato solo il FuelMaker come una scelta per casa rifornire di carburante. Grazie!
Allieti Lei si unì al foro e noi aspettiamo ansiosamente i Suoi acumi.


Migliori saluti,

afvman/Bill

[John Mitton]

Re: Hello from Italy

Hello Luc,
A warm welcome from us here in North America. There are many OEM heavy-duty vehicle NGV offerings for transit bus, refuse (garbage) trucks, street sweepers, even lawn mowers We hope the consumer vehicles will start to come out with Honda leading the way...

[CNGLO]

Re: Hello from Italy

Benvenuto Luc. Ci son alcuni sul questo forum che parlano l'italiano. Se non sappia come dire qualcosa nel'inglese, puo' dirlo in italiano e uno di noi lo traduchera'. Come vede anche, capiamo meglio che scriviamo.

[Veltroo]

Re: Hello from Italy

Ciao CNGLO
Fortunately i got my high school graduation in US, East Tennesse to be exact. Unfortunately in the last 25 years i was working inUK, France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Croatia, Hungary and of course Italy.
Sometimes i got little confused with terms and grammatics but i hope you'll all forgive me for my mistakes. You know who's the fault of??? the damned froggies!! hehe.
Who knows may be at the next CNGChat Meeting i can cook something Italian for you all.
Hugs for the moment and my respect for the quality of your written italian, not kidding, not bad at all.
Luc

[Veltroo]

Re: Hello from Italy

>Hey Bill
Thanks so much for the clear answers. I drove the Ducato me too not bad ah. Ok we italians and european in General we got more motivations.
You know that we actually spend some 8 dollars per gallon of gasoline (haf of these are taxes payed to substained one of the most corrupted governement in the world). Easy to understand why just last year with the financial crises we sold some 300%+ NGV vehicles and LPG.
Conversion here are strong but the offer of new model is now getting huge in term of tax and reducing expensives. Tu buy my Passat for example i got some 5.000$ incentive from the state and the downsizing of the engine that still has got 250 NM and some 150ps it's giving me the chance to save an incredible quantity of money. Still here we have problems either with the pumps: not enough!.
I leave you with one think:
The Passat is doing some 460km with 15-18 Euro full (that's ome 20-22$ may be?) at italian highway average speed that is 150Km/H that's some 95M/h? So i'm sure if i have to respect an average limit of 55 in the USA my car will do some 600Km that's some 400 miles? so let's say 20 dollars i will do some 20 miles per dollar in Italy.
Now think if i'm carrying that car in the USA (not to say UTAH with those fantastic fares!!) 1,25$ is what you pay average? ok how much miles i will do with the same 20 dollars? a thousand????????!!!!!!
And there are some people (petroleum lobby buddies) that are still saying that the NGV in the US is not quite a solution!
Well this sound me more incredible then the fact that our prime minister is trading "escorts slots" for votes!
A sincere hugs to you and everyone there.
Luc

[afvman]

Re: Hello from Italy

Hey Luc,

If you're anywhere close to Ohio, give us at call!

+740.438.6876

afvman/Bill

[John Mitton]

Re: Hello from Italy

Luc,
You can see the public stations and prices in the US, Canada, and even Europe here:

http://www.cngprices.com/

Please help us keep this map updated, you can be our designated Italian moderator

[Veltroo]

Re: Hello from Italy

It will be an honour John.
Let me work on it.
Luc

[Veltroo]

Re: Hello from Italy

with pleasure Bill
I'm looking forward to establish some business in the Us i'll be around your big coutry in the next te days.
Ohio is a little bit out of my track but who knows i'll have a long stepover in Washington DC, and Ohio isn't so far. Well at least for my travelling maniac attitude ...hehe
Greetings
Luc

[cngacrossusa]

Re: Hello from Italy

Hello and Welcome to Luc from Italy (Veltroo on cngchat).

Curious if you know much about the Tartarini company there in Italy that makes Home Refueling Appliances (HRA)? I had never heard of them until I saw NGVGlobal article about them at:

http://www.ngvglobal.com/tartarini-introduces-home-refuelling-systems-for-cng-0611#more-8697

Are their HRA's reliable and what kind of total hours do they run before the compression heads need reworked?

What are chances that they will ship to USA to compete with Fuelmaker? What do they sell for in Italy (in US Dollars)?