Flogas Powers has become the first UK gas supplier to operate Volvo’s BIO-LNG trucks after taking delivery of two alternatively fuelled Volvo FM 460 6x2 tractor units.
Both are powered by the Swedish firm’s G13C Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) engines developing 2,300Nm of torque between 1,100 and 1,300rpm. They are coupled to an I-Shift 12-speed transmission and single reduction drive axles with a ratio of 2.64:1.
They’ve been specified with 4.1m wheelbases and Volvo Lite pusher axles. Alcoa Alloy wheels add to the trucks payload capacity by saving weight. Globetrotter cabs with the driving and one bed resting packages are fitted to the vehicles, and all have been fitted with full ADR equipment.
Tim Eaton, head of logistics at the domestic and commercial liquefied petroleum gas provider, said: “When it came to delivering the cleanest emissions, the lowest noise and most efficient running costs, Volvo Trucks came out on top.
“The Volvo’s compression ignition engine allows us to operate them within existing legislation on our bulk gas sites and in UK oil refineries. Its availability in 6x2 configuration and exceptional build quality in terms of reliability and driver comfort made Volvo the clear choice for our natural gas-powered vehicles.”
Flogas’ national account manager for alternative transport fuels, James Goodson, explained that “they will each be powered by approximately 30 tonnes of renewable Bio – LNG each year – a highly sustainable biofuel that’s produced during the digestion process. This means they’ll be 50% quieter, they’ll release significantly fewer pollutants and running costs will be lower.”
However, the company stated that the UK’s LNG refuelling infrastructure still needs improvement, as it has the potential to impact on where vehicles can be deployed.
Both Volvos will be used for logistical operations transporting bulk LPG and LNG nationwide. They will join Flogas’s delivery network, which also includes a number of dual fuel and electric hybrid-powered vehicles from DAF, Iveco, Isuzu and FUSO.
Goodson concluded that, the pair of FMs will be “the first of many, as we look to make our 200-strong fleet cleaner, greener and increasingly future proof”.
For more information on Flogas visit its website.
