Ariel busca igualdad de oportunidades para VGN de servicio ligero

Ariel Corporation is working with multiple industry groups to encourage the federal government to standardize rules governing incentives for natural gas vehicles (NGVs) and electric vehicles (EVs). The goal is to have the regulations covering EVs extend to NGVs, creating one standard for alternative fuel vehicles.

The groups – the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, the American Gas Association, and the American Public Gas Association -- are pushing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a level playing field instead of mandating one clean technology above all other options. The proposed rules would bring natural gas trucks, work vans, and sport utility vehicles under the same policy as EVs. There are already companies, school districts, and cities taking advantage of natural gas in their transportation and trash collection fleets. Creating regulatory equality with electric vehicles would create a climate for light-duty NGVs to see the same growth in demand. Ariel and VNG.co LLC have helped these groups encourage involvement through education.

By bringing both alternative fuels under the same regulation, the agencies would enable more consumers to take advantage of the environmental and financial benefits of low-cost natural gas and light-duty NGVs. The United States is the world’s leading natural gas producer but uses natural gas for just 27 percent of transportation fuel consumed. NGV engines come with emissions that are 90 percent cleaner than current federal standards, are already available, and support American workers through the natural gas and manufacturing sectors.

“NGVs and natural gas are a low-emission, domestic fuel alternative,” said Tom Rastin, Ariel’s Executive Vice President. “As the leading producer of natural gas in the world, the U.S. is well-positioned to leverage our abundant natural gas resources to reduce petroleum imports, which still serve about half of our nation’s needs, and advance our global energy leadership. With this rulemaking, the agencies can expand from a single solution pathway emphasizing EVs to a portfolio of solutions to achieve one national standard, harmonize the agencies’ programs, and impactfully reduce emissions and imported petroleum across the US vehicle fleet.”

For more on compressed natural gas and how Ariel compressors help fuel NGVs, click here.