Alliance AutoGas says its converted bi-fuel Ford F-150 V6 has concluded its 5,700-mile, 12-city Coast-To-Coast Clean Air Ride in Asheville, N.C., after three weeks of travel. According to the company, 468 gallons of propane autogas were used, reducing CO₂ emissions by 25% compared with a gasoline vehicle.
As previously reported, this converted F-150 set the record for the fastest alternative fuel conversion to autogas in 1:32:25 at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.
Alliance AutoGas asserts that the vehicle returned home on May 23 to the AutoGas Research & Technology Center, where the Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition, Alliance AutoGas and Blossman Gas held a homecoming event. Stephen Holland and Stacey Snyder, the Alliance AutoGas technicians who completed the conversion kit install on the F-150 in record-setting time, brought the F-150 back home.
Alliance explains that the goal of the trip was to underscore the importance of reducing CO₂ emissions through the use of propane autogas, in addition to the benefits of American energy security, quality technology and fuel cost savings for fleets.
“We wanted people to see, first-hand, how simple and easy it is to convert a vehicle, how well it runs, and how it gives the fleet manager a well-documented return,” says Ed Hoffman, president of Blossman Services Inc.
The F-150 began its trip on May 2, trailering a propane mower. The propane mower is a 2013 Exmark Lazer Z Ultra Cut 60 powered by a 25.5 hp Kawasaki FX801 V-Twin gasoline engine, converted to propane by Alliance Small Engines.
The company asserts that its Engineered Fuel System features a single plug wiring connector and a 21-gallon underbody autogas tank. All of the wiring is “plug and play,” and system installation doesn’t require any drilling or fabrication. By deploying these features, Alliance says labor times and conversion costs are significantly reduced.
“Our hope was to educate citizens across the country about the extended range of autogas vehicles, as well as the benefits of real costs savings and emissions reductions,” says Stuart Weidie, president and CEO of Blossman Gas and president of Alliance AutoGas.
