Ford to quit making CNG/propane trucks, vans by yearend

By Liza Berger

DEARBORN, Mich., Jun 22 (SNS) – Ford Motor Co. (F), a major maker and seller of cars and trucks, said here today it would cease 10-year production of compressed natural gas-powered light-duty pick-up trucks and vans vehicles, and eight-year production of propane-powered trucks at the end of this year.

According to a spokeswoman, they are no longer a "viable business."

In recent years, the demand for propane and natural gas vehicles has shrunk, she said.

The company sold at its peak 3,000-4,000 units each of propane and natural gas vehicles per year. The company is continuing to make ethanol-powered vehicles, another low volume alternative fuel vehicle.

Ford has been making natural gas vehicles since 1994. Two of Ford’s models that use compressed natural gas are the F150 Heritage pick-up truck and Econoline full-size van.

The F150 also uses propane. Ford has been making it since 1996.

A marketing manager with Ford’s alternative fuel vehicle program said the primary inhibitor to growing the natural gas vehicle market is the limited number of fueling stations. A company-issued brochure this year said there are 1,600 public refueling stations in North America.

Propane is somewhat more accessible with more than 10,000 propane refueling sites with certified attendants across the U.S.

Natural gas and propane vehicles are made in the same manufacturing plants as their gasoline counterparts. At a certain point in the production schedule they are sent to a modification center to have the fuel system installed. They are then inserted back into the production schedule and shipped out with the gasoline-powered units.

The company will redirect the engineers used for the natural gas and propane programs into other vehicle programs, the marketing manager said.

In the area of alternative fuel vehicles, Ford has shifted its focus in recent years towards hybrid and experimental fuel cells.

Natural gas, an abundant natural resource in North America, is a cleaner burning fuel than gasoline. In many areas across the U.S. and Canada it also costs between 15 per cent and 40 per cent less than gasoline.

Propane, a product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, is also a cleaner burning fuel than gasoline.