Press Releases

Iveco and FPT Industrial are participating in the second International Exhibition of natural gas vehicles organised by NGVA Europe (European Natural Gas Vehicle Association) taking place at the Berlin Messe from 7th to 9th June. With this presence, both companies of the Fiat Industrial Group confirm their commitment to sustainable mobility, to help spread the culture of methane as a road vehicle fuel and to present to the public at large the extremely environmentally friendly solutions that Iveco and FPT Industrial have long offered to the market.

European leader in CNG powered commercial vehicles, Iveco exhibits, along with FPT Industrial engines, some models from its range of vehicles powered by natural gas.
On the stand are an Iveco ECODAILY Natural Power and an FPT Industrial dedicated CNG Cursor 8 engine, used for buses and commercial vehicles for urban applications. Moreover, in the external space adjacent to the exhibition, an Iveco Irisbus Citelis CNG urban bus is presented along with a Stralis CNG chassis with a 6x2 drive configuration rated at a maximum permitted mass of 26t, the largest of the urban CNG vehicle range.

Iveco and FPT Industrial confirm their belief that methane propulsion systems represent the most appropriate choice of technology to help solve pollution problems in urban areas, being the cleanest road fuel available. The ecological solutions proposed in Berlin are a testimony to the contribution of the two companies for a mobility that is both sustainable and affordable, designed for every type of vehicle for business use and for any mission to transport goods and people in public transport urban areas.
Iveco is also taking part in the International Conference associated with the exhibition at the Workshop on "The European Challenges vs. Global Opportunities - The perspective of international vehicle manufacturers on CNG”, in which Giuliano Giovannini, Iveco Product Marketing Manager, is presenting. "Natural gas engines have emission levels that are already at or near to the levels of the Euro VI limits, which will apply from 2014 and therefore represent a practical response to the problem of air quality in urban areas”, explained Giovannini, “Iveco attaches great importance to the technology of natural gas vehicles, which is of Italian heritage and is a priority in our research. Today we offer the widest range on the market with this technology and we are European leaders in the production and marketing of these vehicles, which can already use bio-methane, one of the sources of renewable energy with the best credentials in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

Products on display

The focus on sustainable mobility, a key part of Iveco and FPT Industrial’s business strategy, is actually represented by vehicles and engines on display.

On the stand is the ECODAILY Natural Power, a natural gas powered version of a model that, in its various versions, has achieved global sales of more than two million units. The ECODAILY Natural Power is available in a wide range of van and chassis cab versions from 3.5 tonnes to 7.0 tonnes maximum permitted mass and powered by the FPT Industrial 3.0 litre natural gas engine rated at 136 cv (100 kW). To ensure ease of operation, ECODAILY Natural Power is equipped with a small petrol tank serving as a get-you-home facility. Natural gas storage on board the vehicle is by CNG cylinders, varying in capacity according to rated vehicle mass and wheelbase.
In the external area Iveco Irisbus exhibits a 12m Citelis CNG urban bus having a very low environmental impact, thanks to the Cursor 8 FPT Industrial engine, which produces emissions far below the limits of the EEV (Enhanced Environmentally Friendly Vehicle), the most stringent European emissions standard currently available. This is an ideal vehicle for urban public transport that can accommodate up to 90 passengers, with a low floor, manual ramp for disabled access and a "kneeling" function as a further aid to the boarding and alighting from the bus.
 
It is also equipped with an air conditioning system for passengers and the driver, a passenger boarding and alighting detection system operated by proximity sensors, a passenger information system for the announcement of forthcoming bus stops, a video surveillance system with a camera at each access door and "Intellibus" with integrated GPS module, a system that allows the monitoring of data and reporting on bus progress and performance aspects, such as speed, the number braking events and real time vehicle tracking.

Also outside is a Stralis CNG 6x2 plated at 26t, equipped with a dedicated FPT Industrial natural gas Cursor 8 engine rated at 270 cv (200 kW). In Addition to the 6x2 chassis cab version exhibited, Stralis CNG is also available as a 4x2 chassis cab designed for operation at 18.0t. On board CNG storage is by means of 8 pressure cylinders each of 80 litres capacity, all of which are mounted on the chassis frame in order to not impede body mounting.
FPT Industrial is part of the Fiat Industrial group, dealing with the design, manufacture and sale of automotive powertrains for on and off-road commercial vehicles and buses, as well as engines for marine and power generation. It is presenting its range of natural gas engines that are available from 136cv to 330cv, reflecting the considerable attention to finding solutions for environmentally sustainable mobility.

European leader in natural gas engines, a true alternative fuel with the simplest molecular structure to ensure complete combustion, FPT Industrial offers the Cursor 8 (C78 ENT G), a dedicated turbocharged and intercooler CNG 6 cylinder engine of 7.8 litres capacity homologated to the EEV standard. This engine, available with a rated power from 245cv to 330cv (180kW to 213kW) and a peak torque from 1100Nm to 1300Nm is used on buses and commercial vehicles for mainly urban applications, where it is especially appreciated the its very low tail-pipe emissions and its low cost operating costs (methane being one of the cheapest fuels). Also of  importance is the very low engine noise, 3-5 dB(A) lower than its Diesel equivalent and low vibration levels due to the spark ignition engine technology. Last but not least is the environmental advantage of natural gas, offering very low tail-pipe emissions with NOx levels around one quarter of the legal limits.