APTA EXPO 2014
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Westport for CNG Shuttles CNG New Flyer Artics for Long Beach Transit New Flyer Industries (Booth 4037) said in July that it will deliver its first CNG-fueled 60-foot Xcelsior buses for Long Beach Transit in the first quarter of 2015. The 13 big buses will have 8.9-liter ISL G engines from Cummins Westport and Type IV CNG fuel cylinders from Hexagon Lincoln (3655). New Flyer also said this past summer that it would henceforth use the common Xcelsior platform for all of its heavy duty and BRT vehicles.
Dallas-based Westport is promoting its Fordchassis compressed natural gas conversions, displaying a Ford Transit van with 3.7-liter V-6 engine outfitted as a 12-passenger shuttle bus, and an E-450 strip chassis with 6.8-liter V-10 engine, the platform for a variety of bus or truck configurations, at Booth 3759. Both are dedicated-CNG vehicles, meaning they operate 100% on natural gas. Their sparkignition engines are supplied as “gaseous-prep” by Ford, with hardened valves and seats suitable for natural gas operation. The E-450 has been certified by both the U.S. EPA and the California Air Resources Board. EPA certification for the Transit – a Ford model that’s new for 2015 – is pending, with CARB certification to follow, says Westport GM Paul Shaffer. Westport is a Ford QVM – Qualified Vehicle Modifier. Its CNG vehicles are available through Ford dealers and carry full Ford warranties.
CNG-fueled Ford E-450 chassis shuttle buses by Westport for DFW, the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
Westport last month completed the conversion to CNG of 40 new E-450 cutaway chassis shuttle buses for DFW, the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The Starcraft-body vehicles have CNG fuel tanks from Luxfer (Booth 3458). Vancouver-based Westport acquired the Dallas operation known as BAF Technologies from Clean Energy Fuels (Booth 3755) in June 2013. At the time, BAF had converted more than 20,000 Ford vehicles to CNG. Westport is giving away six $100 Visa gift cards here this week.