Alliance AutoGas (AAG), an international network that provides propane autogas solutions to light-, medium- and heavy-duty fleets, says 2019 was a successful and productive year. By continuing the research and development of after-market vehicle conversion equipment, AAG obtained 37 certificates of conformity from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which cover 167 different vehicle types.
As technology continues to evolve, propane autogas remains a reliable alternative fuel source for fleets. The AAG nationwide network currently supports 417 autogas fleets. In 2019, these fleets utilized 16,686,297 gallons of autogas, which displaced 15,123,000 gallons of gasoline and 345,065 barrels of foreign oil.
By converting their vehicles to autogas, AAG customers are bettering their communities by reducing harmful emissions and contributing to cleaner air. In August 2019, at the Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference and Expo, held in Durham, N.C., the 2019 “Green Fleet Awards” were announced. Five of the nationally awarded fleets were AAG customers. These award rankings were based on multiple factors including fuel emissions, fleet composition, supporting programs and fleet utilization.
“Our county has put a lot of time and resources into running an efficient, eco-friendly fleet. It is exciting to be awarded for those efforts. We consider our county to be a leader in best practices for the fleet community,” says Richard Hilmer, fleet manager of Prince George’s County, Md.
In 2019, AAG received its first patent for the development of the LPG Evacuation Pump. When working with an autogas system, all fuel must be emptied from the tank in order to perform internal repairs and service. Using the pump, service technicians can evacuate autogas tanks in a safe and efficient manner.
“Customers were coming to us and asking for help servicing their autogas vehicles. After listening to their needs, we developed a quick and easy way to remove propane and prepare the vehicles for service. Receiving this patent is exciting for us, and shows a serious commitment to the alternative fuels industry, specifically the autogas segment, where we see continued growth in the future,” says David Kennedy, director of autogas design for AAG.
AAG’s most significant technological advancement of 2019 was the Prins eVP500 electronic variable pressure reducer. Ed Hoffman, president of Blossman Services, the distribution partner of AAG systems, says, “The pressure reducer was the most impactful product introduction this year. The addition of this component to our conversion systems offers the customer a compact design, superior performance and worry-free maintenance.”
As the autogas segment continues to grow, AAG has also been committed to growing its national network of service and installation centers by adding 23 new locations in 2019. To date, 127 locations nationwide are trained and certified to maintain and install the AAG engineered system. By continuing to grow its conversion and installation center network, AAG is assuring the growth of the autogas movement for years to come, adding to their already significant foundation of support for more than 200,000 autogas vehicles on the road, notes the company.
Photo: David Kennedy and Jessie Johnson of Blossman Gas and AAG, holding the plaque for U.S. patent #10,400,957, the LPG Evacuation Pump.
