ROADSHOWS

LoCITY ROADSHOW:GUIDE TO GAS VEHICLES

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

WELCOME TO THE LOCITY ROADSHOW GUIDE TO GAS VEHICLES.

LoCITY Gas Vehicles and Infrastructure Roadshow

The event took place on 21 September 2017 at The

Twickenham Stoop Stadium. Its focus was on enabling

freight operators to unlock the potential for gas vehicles

in their fleets. Inspirational fleet managers, vehicle

manufacturers and refuelling providers were all available

to offer delegates first-hand information on the key

points to consider when choosing the right vehicle for

their fleet.

Role of the Roadshows

LoCITY Roadshows are aimed at transport and

procurement managers who are planning to introduce

ultra-low and zero emission vehicles in their fleets.

Roadshow participants are typically looking for answers

to a number of questions about either the vehicles

themselves or supporting infrastructure.

LoCITY Roadshows also include:

• July 2017 – Electric vehicles (presentations, an event

video and guidance are available on the LoCITY

website)

• November 2017 – Hydrogen-powered vehicles

• March 2018 – Fuels in action (includes renewable

fuels and retrofit solutions)

Acknowledgements

LoCITY would like to thank all the sponsors, speakers,

vehicle manufacturers, infrastructure providers and

exhibitors that contributed to the success of the

roadshow.

This guide provides a summary of the roadshow event, further information

about LoCITY and an overview of gas vehicle technology, refuelling

infrastructure and operator experiences.

GAS ROADSHOW – OVERVIEW OF THE EVENT

Delegates were able to ask need-to-know questions about choosing, operating and maintaining gas vans

and trucks in their fleets, and could also see a wide range of market-ready vehicles. Speakers were carefully

selected to provide a practical snapshot of the gas experience, both from a private operator and public sector.

London-based operators at Camden Council and Calor shared examples and lessons learnt from operating

gas vehicles, with delegates keen to draw on their knowledge during Q&A sessions.

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More than 100 delegates attended a LoCITY Roadshow

held at The Stoop, Twickenham in September. They

were keen to understand the practical implications

and opportunities associated with running gas-fuelled

vehicles in their fleets.

Camden Council’s Richard Clarke, Martin Flach from

Iveco and Adrian Heath from event sponsor Calor,

shared their operational experiences, giving delegates

tips and information associated with running gas-

fuelled vehicles.

Richard Clarke took delegates through Camden’s

gas-fuelled vehicle journey. The council operates 280

vehicles in total. 38 per cent of which are targeted to

be alternatively fuelled in the short term. Camden is

focused on compressed natural gas (CNG) biomethane,

according to Clarke.

While Camden’s fleet is comprised predominantly of

light commercials, Calor’s experience is with heavier

delivery vehicles. The company has been running a

significant number of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

dual-fuel vehicles for the past 15 years and is planning

trials of single-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicles

in the near future.

Iveco’s Martin Flach explained how vehicle

manufacturers were developing gas-fuelled vehicles

and the associated benefits of operating LNG-fuelled

trucks and vans. Iveco has been investing heavily in this

technology, explained Flach, and is now able to offer a

full range of LNG and CNG-fuelled trucks and vans.

Useful tips shared included:

• Good news story – maximise the publicity and

goodwill from a shift to alternatively fuelled vehicles

• Accessibility – gas infrastructure is readily available

and well proven. Engage with vehicle producers and

infrastructure installers to ensure you have a reliable

supply of both

• Beware of “wet gas” – natural gas in London has a

high water content and this will impact on engines

and fuel usage calculations. Wet gas needs to be

removed in the CNG station. LNG does not suffer

similar problems as water freezes before methane.

It was clear fleet operators attending the roadshow

were keen to explore gas as a fuel for both trucks and

vans, and the broad cross-section of vehicles on display

as part of the outdoor exhibition gained a significant

amount of interest.

Iveco brought along three vehicles representing its

light, medium and heavy range of vehicles. While

Iveco’s Stralis tractor range is currently only available

in 4x2 configuration, a 6x2 tractor unit is under

development, thereby offering a 44-tonne LNG option

for long-haul applications.

Scania was represented by its CNG-powered vehicle

operating in the Waitrose fleet, while at the lighter end

of the market Autogas brought along a Fiat Doblo

LPG-fuelled van and rental company Fraikin had a Ford

Transit Courier on display. Cadent demonstrated its

CNG-fuelled Mercedes Arocs, equipped with vacuum

excavator bodywork and used for pipe laying.

Gas vehicles on show

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OPERATING TIPS AND ADVICE

Gas vehicles on show

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OPERATING TIPS AND ADVICE

A lively panel discussion with all the infrastructure

companies that were exhibiting was one of the features

of this roadshow and delegates were able to quiz the

panel on a range of matters.

Rob Wood, CEO of infrastructure provider Gasrec, gave

an overview of the work the company has been doing

with Veolia at its Alperton, London site to install a gas

refuelling facility. The site is currently servicing 14 refuse

trucks, with a planned capacity for 34 vehicles.

The company has similar refuelling sites nationwide and

is working with Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Nisa, B&Q and UPS.

CNG Fuels’ CFO Baden Gowrie-Smith gave delegates

an overview of the work his organisation is doing in

developing a network of public-access CNG stations

throughout the UK. Gowrie-Smith revealed the results

from data at its Leyland and Crewe sites, where 10

companies have trialled CNG-fuelled vehicles. The

results speak for themselves:

• CO2 savings of as much as 85 per cent when

compared to diesel equivalent vehicles on the same

routes

• Fuel savings of more than 40 pence per mile

Regulatory Change

In September 2017, the Department for Transport

announced its amendment to authorised vehicle weight

and dimensions regulations. The changes allow up to an

extra tonne in weight for certain vehicle categories using

LPG, natural gas, biomethane, electricity and hydrogen.

New liquefied natural gas vehicles no longer require

vehicle special orders. Further information is available on

the DfT website

Department for Transport’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO)

The RTFO is a scheme operated by the Department of

Transport. It requires suppliers of fossil fuels to ensure that

a specified percentage of the road fuels they supply in the

UK is made up of renewable fuels. Biomethane is eligible

and the emission reductions from RTFO approved sources

can be claimed in corporate accounts.

Green Gas Certification Scheme (GGCS)

Customers are issued with a quarterly certificate/report

verifying that they have purchased renewable fuel,

and the emissions savings can be claimed in corporate

accounts. The full emissions benefit is enjoyed by, and

also reportable by, the fleet customer. The GGCS is run

by a subsidiary of the Renewable Energy Association and

the scheme’s participants oversee how it is run; it is not

supported by the Department for Transport.

EVENT FEEDBACK

ExhibitorsMartin Flach, IVECO – Alternative Fuels Director

“The benefits of operating gas on commercial vehicles are really in two key

directions. One is in terms of the benefits environmentally, so the benefits

for air quality with low NOx, low particulates and the global warming

benefits in terms of very low carbon dioxide, particularly when using

biomethane. The second benefit will be in terms of noise. Dedicated natural

gas vehicles are much, much quieter than diesel vehicles.”

Adrian Heath, Calor – Senior Sales Professional

“We actually run our own fleet of vehicles on both LPG and LNG. We have

done now for the last 15 years. Initially we ran it on our larger vehicles and

longer runs, but now we’re bringing it in to our smaller fleet of inner-city

vehicles for local deliveries. Gas is a genuine alternative fuel.”

Paul Oxford, Autogas – Business Development Manager

“I think the events like LoCITY are very important in making technology

available. There is a wealth of technology. It can be confusing, but I think at

events like this it’s laid out very simply and effectively.”

Baden Gowrie-Smith – CNG Fuels – Chief Financial Officer

“I think the key takeaway today is that an event like this two years ago

simply wouldn’t have had any interest from the industry. It’s been all about

other alternative technologies. Now finally we can have a dedicated gas

event where you’ve got three sessions of people coming through, all keen

on listening, all with pertinent questions about how they can start adopting

gas technology.”

Pelle Schlichting, Orange Gas – Co-Founder

“The main thing which needs to happen in order to make sure that the

transition towards biomethane as a fuel to be adopted is to build a network

of refuelling stations. There are so many companies out there willing to

go from diesel towards clean transport and sustainable transport, and by

building a network we make it available for them nearby.”

ROADSHOWS

54% of delegates said

they were more likely to

procure gas vehicles in

their fleet as a result of

attending the event

32% of delegates said

their next step will be to

organise a vehicle trial

Source: Delegate feedback survey

Next steps

WHAT IS LOCITY?

LoCITY is:

• Supporting freight and fleet operators, vehicle

manufacturers and infrastructure suppliers to increase

the availability and uptake of ultra-low and zero

emission commercial vehicles

• Supporting boroughs in upgrading fleets to cleaner

vehicles and alternative fuels

• Preparing the freight industry for the introduction of

the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)

• Aiding the reduction of air pollution in London,

delivering health benefits for Londoners and helping

to meet targets on climate change

LoCITY is an industry led, collaborative programme

that aims to lower emissions from commercial vehicles

operating in London.

It brings together fleet operators, central and local

government, vehicle manufactures, refuelling and

recharging suppliers and other public and private sector

organisations to improve air quality.

LoCITY will also contribute to London’s target to reduce

CO2 emissions to 60 per cent below 1990 levels by 2025.

Workstream 1Help increase the availability and a�ordabilityof viable low emission commercial vehicles.

The LoCITY Workstreams are:

Workstream 2Establish alternative fuel and supply chain

infrastructure to support the uptake of cleanercommercial vehicles.

Workstream 3Improve understanding through jargon-freecommunications, highlight the bold steps

organisations are already taking, and informfuture fleet buying decisions.

LoCITY Tools:

LoCITY’s website (locity.org.uk) features a number of

tools to help transport managers with their future fleet-

purchasing or leasing decisions.

These include:

• A Commercial Vehicle Finder that provides

information about the range of ultra-low and zero

emission vehicles available to purchase

• A multi-layer map showing the locations of all

refuelling and recharging infrastructure within London

and the home counties

• Video case studies featuring fleet operators talking

about their experiences

• Details of Driver CPC-accredited LoCITY Driving

training courses and e-learning modules

The LoCITY Workstreams are:

ROADSHOWS

Register your interest in LoCITY via our website

Attend a Working Group meeting

Contact us about becoming a LoCITY Champion via enquiries@locity.org.uk

Join our LinkedIn Group

Follow us on Twitter at @LoCITYUK

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How can I find out more information about LoCITY?

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

Introduction to gas vehicles

Options

The natural gas vehicle market has a variety of dual-fuel converted models

and broader dedicated OEM model options, right up to 44-tonne GVW.

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NATURAL GAS – METHANE PETROLEUM GAS

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG)

• Source: Natural gas (fossil fuel),

shale gas (fracking), town gas

(coal), biomethane (landfill,

biomass, synthetic)

• Delivery: connection to grid (with

compressor) or delivery by tanker

• Compression: 200/250 bar

• Source: Natural gas (fossil fuel),

shale gas (fracking), town gas

(coal), biogas (landfill, biomass,

synthetic)

• Delivery: by tanker

• Super-cooled liquid form –160°C

• Compression bar

• Source: Petroleum (fossil fuel),

bioLPG from waste products

(organic plant material, vegetable

oils, animal fats)

• Delivery: by tanker

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Dedicated gas OEM • Positive ignition

(spark)

• Single fuel

• Engine optimised to run on

gas (more efficient)

• Simple emission control

• 100% diesel substitution

• Retrofit not possible

• Uncertain future residual

value

Dual fuel OEM • Compression ignition

(no spark)

• High efficiency

• >90% diesel substitution

• Limp-home mode on diesel

• Retrofit not possible

• Uncertain future residual

value

Dual fuel Retrofit • Compression ignition

(no spark)

• High efficiency

• Can run on diesel if needed

• Could be reverted to diesel

for resale

• Lower diesel substitution

that an OEM engine

• Some problems with

methane slip on early

conversions

Range capability for heavy-duty vehicles

CNG >500 miles

LNG >900 miles

LPG >600 miles

OPERATIONAL ITEMS

Training

Drivers will not need specialist training on how to operate

the vehicle but will need training on how to refuel, which

varies depending on the type of gas used.

• LNG – more specialist training required to dealing

with cold temperatures and safety training on

handling cold liquids

• CNG – training required on how to deal with

compressed gases

Noise

Some manufacturers claim that CNG HGVs are up to 50

per cent quieter than diesel vehicles. However we are not

aware of any independent research to verify this claim.

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Servicing and maintenance considerations

Minimal maintenance is required, but this does differ

depending whether the vehicle is dedicated or dual fuel.

• Dedicated gas vehicles have spark plugs, a tank, fuel

pipes and filters that require regular inspections and

occasional changing

• Dual-fuel vehicles are similar to diesel vehicles but

have an additional gas fuel system, which may need

extra attention to ensure it is gas tight

REFUELLING INFRASTRUCTURE

Gas refuelling options

Many fleets rely on in-depot re-fuelling. Liquefied or

compressed gas may be preferable depending on the

location, operations and routes of your fleet. CNG use

normally requires access to the gas grid, while LNG

stations can be located more flexibly as it is distributed

via road delivery from LNG terminals. This mobile option

is now available for CNG as well.

Cost of refuelling

Natural gas pricing is relatively stable, allowing businesses

to plan for the long term. This is helped by a fixed fuel

duty at 24.7p/kg (approx. 18.6p/litre of diesel) until 2024,

subject to a review in the 2018 Budget, compared to

diesel at 57.95p/litre

Depot requirements

Dedicated depot filling points are possible. A number

of fleet operators have semi-private re-fuelling facilities

allowing pre-agreed operators to share facilities. The

requirements are generally:

1. The proximity of depot to the national grid network

2. The fleet size that will use the station. This will have

an impact on the number of dispensers required, the

refuelling speed, etc.

3. The availability of space for re-fuelling station

installation (for storage tanks, compression systems

and dispensers)

4. The availability of electricity capacity

Mobile options

CNG trailers can be used to deliver gas to ‘daughter’

stations at more convenient re-fuelling locations.

Daughter stations are extremely flexible and can be

developed to suit particular fleet requirements; they can

be located on or off-depot, be private, shared or public

access, can vary in capacity depending on space and

fleet size, and can be located up to 150 miles from the

‘mother’ station.

Forecourt/public-access refuelling stations

The UK’s network of public-access natural gas stations

is growing rapidly and additional providers are now

entering the market. Some infrastructure providers claim

the UK would need only 100 large refuelling stations to

cover 90 per cent of its trunking routes. However we

are not aware of any independent research to verify this

claim.

LoCITY Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Map

LoCITY has produced a multi-layer interactive map

showing the current locations of publicly accessible

recharging and refuelling locations across London and

the Home Counties. It contains separate layers for all

CNG, LNG and LPG refuelling stations.

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£££

£

FUNDING OPTIONS

Financial incentives

Vans (not exceeding 3.5 tonnes in gross vehicle weight)

that emit 75g/km or less of CO2 and meet the Euro

5 standard for air quality qualify for a 100 per cent

discount on the Congestion Charge.

OLEV and Innovate UK Low Emission Freight Trials

• Maximising CNG benefits: John Lewis Partnership

will trial a fleet of 43 dedicated gas HGVs to

demonstrate their suitability for large-scale rollout

• Combustion-efficient Euro VI HGV: Develop and

demonstrate the elimination of methane slip in dual-

fuel conversions to meet Euro VI emissions

• Dedicated gas: Large fleet operations involving 81

new dedicated gas-powered HGVs (12-44 tonnes)

• Reduced emissions logistics (Red-E-Log): The

project will deploy three state-of-the-art truck

technologies to promote the reintroduction of liquid

biomethane into the UK market

£ ££££

£££

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LoCITY Whole Life Costs – comparison with a diesel vehicle example

Large goods vehicle – 36t 4x2 artic. Annual mileage 110,000

Costs include:• O-licence

• Congestion Charge

• Road taxes

• Fuel

• Maintenance

• Depreciation

Diesel truck: £600,000 over seven years

TYPE LIFETIME SAVING

CNG truck £80,000

LNG truck £40,000

DF LPG truck £8,000

LoCITY Whole-Life Cost Tool

In early 2018, a new tool will be available for fleet operators to check the total cost of ownership (TCO) of gas vehicles

in comparison to diesel alternatives.

To receive updates about this tool, register your details on the LoCITY website.

Source: LoCITY Options Report

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

“NATURAL GAS IS EXPENSIVE”

• CNG/LNG vehicles cost more than diesel vehicles to purchase, but the fuel costs are lower on a

pence per mile basis often reducing the overall cost of ownership to below a diesel vehicle.

“THERE IS NOWHERE TO REFUEL WITH CNG, LNG OR LPG”

• There are publicly accessible CNG, LNG and LPG refuelling stations in England. Further

information is available on the LoCITY Alternative Fuel Infrastructure map

“CNG AND LNG ARE UNTESTED TECHNOLOGIES”

• The now-concluded Low Carbon Truck Trial was co-funded by Innovate UK and the Office for

Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and provided an evidence base for gas vehicles. For more details,

visit the DfT website

“GAS VEHICLES ARE DANGEROUS”

• Natural gas vehicles are safer than those powered by petrol or diesel. The fact that natural gas is

lighter than air further enhances its safety. Fuels such as diesel, petrol, or liquefied propane gas

(LPG) / propane autogas, which are heavier than air, pool on the ground, creating a fire hazard.

If a natural gas leak occurs, the gas will disperse rapidly upwards into the atmosphere and

dissipate.

Common Misconceptions

ROADSHOWS

CASE STUDIES OF OPERATORS USING GAS VEHICLES IN THEIR FLEETS

Watch the John Lewis video

“For us, operating dedicated gas trucks has transitioned from

being a trial to being ‘business as usual’, with positives on carbon

reduction, driver acceptance and cost. Operating them has, in the

best way possible, become boring.”

Justin Laney, General Manager Transport at Waitrose and John Lewis Partnership

View the roadshow presentations from Camden Council and

Calor Gas via the LoCITY website.

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PERSONAL ACTION PLAN

What should I do next?

Contact LoCITY Explore the LoCITY website

View presentations from the event

View our LoCITY Champions

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How do I get further information and advice?

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View the Gas Vehicles Roadshow presentation slides

Contact a vehicle manufacturer/retrofit company to organise a

vehicle trial

Meet with suppliers to discuss any infrastructure upgrade

requirements

Contact operators with gas vehicles in their fleets to find out

more about their experiences

Your personal checklist

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