Natural gas option available for Freightliner 114 severe duty trucks
10 May 2011
Freightliner Trucks announced that its new 114 Severe Duty (SD) set-back axle (SBA) truck will be available with natural gas technology. Designed for severe duty segments such as construction and other markets, the new 114SD SBA is a lightweight yet durable truck targeted at heavy-duty vocational applications.
The 114SD SBA natural gas truck expands Freightliner’s alternative fuel product offerings. The company already offers the industry’s only turn-key conventional chassis natural gas solutions, and along with units sold under the Sterling brand, will have more than 1,000 trucks in customer hands by the end of 2011.
Designed for vocational and municipal customers such as dump, refuse and sewer vacs, the factory-built 114SD SBA natural gas truck will include the lightweight Cummins ISLG natural gas engine. The truck will also be equipped with the Allison 3000RDS transmission, which includes patented torque converter technology that results in improved startability at the launch of the vehicle, full power shifts, and a better performing engine.
Natural gas is quickly becoming the fuel of choice for the refuse market, and has started to gain traction with municipal customers. Based on our conversations with customers in other vocational segments, there’s an increased interest in natural gas, particularly with the recent spike in the price of diesel fuel.
—TJ Reed, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks
Production will begin on the natural gas 114SD SBA in December 2011.
Simple economics are going to drive widespread adoption of natural gas fuel for fleet applications.
Posted by: Nick Lyons | 10 May 2011 at 09:54 AM
This is what Pickens is advocating, but after 3 years of pushing he has made VERY little progress. It makes sense and we should do it, which is precisely why Congress will not. The GOP is in the pockets of big oil.
Posted by: SJC | 10 May 2011 at 11:55 AM
"The GOP is in the pockets of big oil." Don't forget Obama & all his campaign contributions from BP, as well as generous fast-track of Petrobras drilling permit in the Gulf of Mexico & promise to buy oil from them. In other words, it REALLY isn't going to happen.
Posted by: ejj | 10 May 2011 at 06:43 PM
Obama biggest recipient of BP cash
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html
Posted by: ejj | 10 May 2011 at 06:48 PM
It is up to Congress to make the laws and the GOP Congress from 2003-2006 set the ridiculously low $75 million liability cap. It was the Bush MMS that partied with the oil people and looked the other way while the oil companies cut corners in the Gulf. It was the GOP law that exempted the natural gas drillers from the EPA in 2005 and allowed them to fracture with no liability. It is the Bush administration that allowed coal companies to blow off mountain tops and dump the rubble in the rivers.
Posted by: SJC | 10 May 2011 at 08:08 PM