U.K. sees first deliveries by LNG trucks

U.K. consumer retail giant Marks & Spencer plc has begun deliveries of goods to its London food stores using a fleet of 10 new trucks running on liquefied natural gas fuel. The trucks and LNG fuel are provided by industrial gases manufacturer BOC Group plc, Windlesham, U.K. The photograph shows a driver filling up at the BOC depot at Hemel Hempstead, north of London.

Oct. 27, 1997

The trucks and LNG fuel are provided by industrial gases manufacturer BOC Group plc, Windlesham, U.K. The photograph shows a driver filling up at the BOC depot at Hemel Hempstead, north of London.

BOC said the truck in the photograph is fitted with a 150 brake-hp Cummins B series natural gas engine. It has two fuel tanks: a vacuum tank containing enough LNG to give a range of more than 300 km and a compressed natural gas reserve tank giving an extra range of 50 km.

BOC claims the LNG trucks will emit only 0.04% of the air emissions of a comparable diesel-fueled truck operating in a congested urban area.

M&S has said it is committed to replacing its large diesel truck fleet, but the speed of introduction of LNG-fueled trucks would depend on how quickly government introduces further tax benefits.