Swedish truck maker Volvo is planning to launch a 13-liter liquefied natural gas (LNG) engine within the Volvo brand for the trucks in North America by 2014.
The new engine, when combined with the company's compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered Volvo VNM and Volvo VNL model daycabs, is expected to deliver enhanced natural gas-powered transportation solutions.
Volvo said that the engine's high pressure diesel ignition technology will deliver 30% enhanced fuel efficiency gains when compared to the existing natural gas products, and will also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by about 20%.
Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing president Ron Huibers said despite the near-term infrastructure questions regarding widespread adoption of natural gas as a heavy-duty truck fuel, it's clear this segment will grow over the next several years.
Volvo is also testing another fuel which can be produced from natural gas, DME (dimethyl ether), which is expected to attract as an alternate fuel for the North American market.
The company has tested the trucks equipped with DME, which resulted that the DME could become a viable alternative in North America to CNG or LNG.
