nobody get excited, this is just some more news about the NG vehicles.
I think the use of taxis is the best way to test these types of vehicles, taxis do take the most abuse.
I believe that eventually when ntah gets that darn matagorda drilled, the increased use of NG for vehicles will have a good effect for us.
biz.yahoo.com
Thursday October 29, 2:18 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Cleaner, Natural Gas Taxis to Take Run up San Francisco Hills
Ford and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Team Up to Provide Vehicles and Free Fuel
NOTE TO MEDIA: Photo available on BW PhotoWire/AP PhotoExpress,
PressLink Online and on Business Wire's Web site at
www.businesswire.com
SAN FRANCISCO--(AutomotiveWire)--Oct. 29, 1998--Taxi passengers in San Francisco will have a unique opportunity over the next three months to ride in one of the country's cleanest cars -- the Ford natural gas (NGV) Crown Victoria.
Ford Motor Co. and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) are joining together to bring a natural gas taxicab demonstration program to three San Francisco taxi companies. Two NGV Crown Victoria taxis will be driven by the Regents Cab Co., National Cab Co. and Yellow Cab Co. for one month each. All natural gas fuel used for the program will be provided free by PG&E.
''At Ford, we're dedicated to environmental actions that can make a difference right now,'' said John Wallace, Ford's director of Alternative Fuel Vehicles. ''We hope to combine the city of San Francisco's tremendous interest in natural gas vehicles with Ford's expertise in building them.''
''PG&E is proud of its continued commitment to the environment,'' said Norm Stone, PG&E's director of New Energy Markets. ''We're excited to be a part of a project that will have an immediate positive impact on San Francisco streets.''
The blue and yellow taxis will be easy to recognize with ''Clean Air Vehicle'' labels prominently displayed.
PG&E began using natural gas vehicles in its company fleet in the early 1970s. To increase the use of natural gas vehicles, PG&E has helped set up numerous fueling stations and currently operates 33 such stations at sites throughout Northern California.
The taxicab is based on Ford's dedicated natural gas Crown Victoria. When first introduced in 1996, the vehicle was the first mass-produced dedicated natural gas car in North America and the cleanest internal combustion car on the road. It remains among the cleanest today, meeting California's strict ultra low emissions vehicle (ULEV) standard. In simple terms, the NGV Crown Victoria taxi emits two-thirds less smog-forming hydrocarbons than allowed.
The NGV Crown Victoria is one vehicle in a lineup of Ford natural gas products that also includes a dedicated natural gas F-250 pickup truck and Econoline van, and bi-fuel Ford Contour sedan, F-Series pickup and Econoline van. Ford continues to offer the industry's broadest range of alternative fuel vehicles, including those powered by natural gas, ethanol, propane and electricity. |
