Ford announced recently that before the F-150 goes on sale this year, it will release an option for buyers to upgrade their engine to be compatible with propane and other natural gas propellers. This is quite revolutionary considering it is the only heavy duty vehicle in the half ton segment that can run on natural fuels.
Propane/CNG engine: An excellent option of environment friendliness
With global warming on the rise an all based on reasons no one really knows and because Mother Nature is always getting hotter or cooler, many nations are trying to cut down on renewable fuel like gas and diesel. The F150 is Ford’s commitment in this direction. Unfortunately, the engine upgrade option is only available in V8 engines.
The price for upgrading from Ford’s service centers comes up to $315 but this is deceptive as Ford will not provide alternate fuel lines, injectors, or fillings for the new fuel. The price for the entire re-structuring will cost the buyer between $7,500 and $9,000. This might get balking for a first time try-out but then the engine provides excellent mileage, and if you compare the price of propane with that of petrol or diesel, your investment will pay off in the long run.
You better do some serious research before you make this move.
How does Propane and CNG measure up against traditional fuels?
Propane and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) have been in use as environment protective fuel for quite some time now; there is virtually no difference between natural fuel and fossil ones. Your truck will have a little reduction in load carrying capacity because the alternative fuel engines will be slightly heavier, but apart from that, there will be no obstacle to smooth running. Considering Ford has already sold 16,821 vehicles will alternative fuel prep-packages, it seems like no one is complaining about natural fuels, especially from Ford.
As regards to mileage, turns out CNG is actually better than gasoline when it comes to miles per gallon – as it should be. An analysis by Associate Renewable Inc. finds that while a gasoline powered car averages 32 miles per gallon, a CNG powered one will outstrip it at 43 miles per gallon. Add to that, CNG costs a lot less than gasoline, around half the price. Natural gas is also safer if your car happens to get in an accident, as it has much lower density than gasoline and dissipates quickly in the air, ensuring that the car will not catch fire as easily as it could.
So a CNG run truck is not looking so bad right now. But the pricing factors could change for this type of fuel. As already said, you have some research to do if you are considering this. Where do you buy CNG gas for one?
All these reasons should be enough for you to consider the CNG charged car as an option, especially when the option is as attractive as the F150. You may be helping out the environment but there is a big picture to consider.
Downside
A few problems are nonetheless present with Ford’s new alternate energy model, apart from the price. One major issue is that of re-fuelling. There are around 500 CNG re-fuelling stations in America. Considering your truck is geared for rough roads where fuelling stations would be few and far between, your only option would be to fill up as much as possible and carry a few spare gallons. And a funnel!
Perhaps you can put a tank of CNG on your own property? You can certainly have some extra gallons in your shed perhaps or make a storage shed just for your CNG. Just some thoughts.
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Green
