The City of Winnipeg will soon convert 20 trucks to Autogas, replacing petrol or diesel, in an effort to reduce pollution and save costs. The city is seeking a supplier of LPG for an alternative fuel pilot project, according to local media. Existing public works trucks will be converted to allow the testing.

“We will be converting light to medium pickup trucks,” city spokesman Adam Campbell wrote in an emailed statement. “We’re focusing on this class of vehicle for the pilot since it will be easier and cheaper to convert.”

City officials estimate switching from gasoline to Autogas would cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 25%, though the pilot project would provide a better estimate. The city has set aside about CAD 130,000 for the project.

Janice Lukes, Chairwoman of Public Works, supported the initiative stating: “I think it’s great to do a pilot … I think it’s good to look at all types of (alternative fuel) options. It’s actually very reasonable.”

In this regard, she noted that electric vehicles are not the only option that should be considered to cut emissions. She explained the pilot will test how well LPG works as a fuel source in winter months and “initially appears much cheaper than buying new electric vehicles and charging stations to support them.”

In addition, Campbell said the pilot could lead to broader use of Autogas to fuel city vehicles. “Longer term, we hope to use the data from those vehicles to inform how Autogas could be used for larger classes of vehicles, such as larger pickup trucks, sand-spreader vehicles, or ladder (aerial) trucks used by public works. There are some newer electric options available in the market for these vehicles, but they are very costly to purchase, and have limited availability,” he wrote.

Source: The Free Press

Photo: Unsplash

12 August 2024