Landi Renzo USA Awarded $600,000 From South Coast AQMD and SoCalGas to Introduce Near Zero Natural Gas Heavy Duty Engine

Landi Renzo’s 7.3L Near Zero natural gas engine covers Class 4-7 vehicles and is available for order now.

TORRANCE, Calif., February 12, 2020 – Landi Renzo USA, the American subsidiary of Landi Renzo Group, the global leader in eco-fuel systems for the automotive industry, announced an award of $600,000. This corresponds in funding of $300,000 from the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (South Coast AQMD) Clean Fuel Funds and another $300,000 in funding from the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) for Landi Renzo’s 7.3L Near Zero natural gas engine development program, which covers Class 4-7 vehicles.

This collaboration will modify the recently introduced Ford 7.3-liter gasoline engine and demonstrate a 0.02 g/bhp-hr NOx California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified engine for commercial vehicle applications. The project is well underway with expected completion by Q2 2020.

The Ford base engine will offer fleets a Near Zero Natural Gas engine for the F-450, F-550, F-650, F-750, F-53, F-59, and E-450 applications. This Near Zero Natural Gas engine is packaged for shuttle buses (e.g., hotel, airport, rental car) box trucks, tow trucks, service body trucks, large package trucks and a host of other vocational offerings. Many of these vehicles will be able to take advantage of various grant funding opportunities.

“We are excited that Landi Renzo USA is driving clean technology for the automotive sector. They’ve done this on a global scale and now are bringing their advanced technology to the U.S. market,” said Michael Lee, project manager, research and development at SoCalGas.

To date, the biggest gap in the Near Zero Natural Gas offering was the work truck market. In addition to operating on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), this engine will also be able to utilize Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). RNG fuel is organic-based and is carbon net-negative when used by natural gas trucks. RNG provides a 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gases versus gasoline or diesel.

Andrea Landi, president of Landi Renzo USA, stated, “While we have deployed thousands of clean natural gas vehicles over the past 10 years, this collaboration will drive customers to the next generation of Near Zero Natural Gas vehicles. We are excited about this opportunity. Unlike some technologies that take years to develop, our Near Zero engine is available for order now.”

The Near Zero Natural Gas vehicles come directly from the Ford manufacturing plant to Landi Renzo USA’s facility in Torrance or an Authorized Distributor, where they are converted with the Landi Renzo’s Eco Ready™ CNG system.

Landi Renzo USA is the only approved Ford QVM (Qualified Vehicle Modifier) developer and installer for CARB, the agency responsible for implementing California’s landmark climate legislation. As an OEM approved system under Ford’s QVM program, the original warranty remains fully in place.

For more information and to place orders, visit www.landiusa.com, email pshaffer@landiusa.com or call Paul Shaffer at (214) 263-6525.

SuperShuttle Expands Alternative Fueled Vehicle Fleet

SuperShuttle

SuperShuttle has a long history of providing green transportation in the form of shared ride services to and from 35 airports nationwide.  In addition to providing shared ride services, SuperShuttle has also incorporated alternative fueled vehicles into several of their fleets over the last 10 years.  In 2012, they selected Landi Renzo USA as an additional partner for deployment of CNG equipped vans in the California market. By fueling with CNG, SuperShuttle franchisee owner-operators have a payback around 1.5 years while reducing their consumption of gasoline.

In addition to significant savings in fuel, reduction of C02 emissions over the life of each van are estimated at over 80 metric tons. That’s 80 metric tons of CO2 that is no longer released into the atmosphere, making the skies in the country a lot clearer and the air a lot easier for all of us to breathe. This reduction is accomplished in part by Landi Renzo’s CARB/EPA certified CNG conversion for the Ford Econoline with the 5.4L engine which carries a SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) designation. What this means is these SuperShuttle CNG powered vans now produce 50% less NOx and CO emissions than these vehicles did when they rolled off the factory floor.

Despite this conversion occurring after the vehicles final assembly at Ford’s manufacturing plant in Elyria, OH, SuperShuttle is backed with the confidence of knowing that Landi Renzo USA is a designated Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) manufacturer for gaseous fuels. Having a Landi Renzo QVM installed product ensures that the Ford warranty and SuperShuttle’s reputation for reliable service remain intact.

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