MSRC Final Report - Clean Transportation Funding

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MS12026 / AB2766

2012 MSRC Clean Transportation Grant

Final Report

U-Haul Co. of California

August 1, 2014

Prepared for the Mobile Source Air Pollution Review Committee (MSRC) under

the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program.

Acknowledgments: U-Haul Co. of California, Contractor

Dean Cerimeli, Director of Truck Product

Karen Schneidmiller, Project Analyst

Allan Yang, Chief Sustainability Scientist

This report was submitted in fulfillment of MS12026 and the 2012 MSRC Clean Transportation

Grant by U-Haul Co. of California under the partial sponsorship of the Mobile Source Air

Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC). Work was completed as of August 1, 2014.

Disclaimer: The statement and conclusions in this report are those of the contractor and not necessarily

those of the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) or the South

Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The mention of commercial products,

their sources or their uses in connection with material reported is not to be construed as either

an actual or implied endorsement of such products.

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Project Description and Work Performed

With the assistance of the MSRC, U-Haul of California purchased 23 alternative fuel vehicles in a pilot

program to determine the feasibility and practicality of converting a significant percentage of its truck

fleet to alternative fuels. Eight dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) and 15 dedicated liquid

propane autogas (LP) Ford E-450 trucks were purchased from BAF Technologies (now Westport) and

Roush CleanTech and delivered to U-Haul’s Tempe, Arizona facility.

Following U-Haul’s industry leading inspection and assembly process, the purchased cutaway chassis

were turned into customer-ready 14 foot long rental trucks, the 23 alternative fueled vehicles were

deployed to select offices within the boundaries of the South Coast Air Quality Management District

(SCAQMD). The trucks will be monitored for usage, location and mechanical failures for a

subsequent five years to ensure the trucks are utilized within the SCAQMD at least 85% of the time.

As of 06/23/14, the fleet has remained within the SCAQMD for 99% of its usage and has operated

entirely within California.

Problems Encountered

Several of the U-Haul centers within the SCAQMD selected to receive LP trucks possessed older

propane dispensing equipment incapable of generating the higher pressures required to fill on-road

vehicles. The one to three horsepower pumps at these locations were upgraded to seven horsepower

units allowing the centers to fill not only the 23 vehicles of the pilot program, but also to meet

increasing demand for publicly accessible propane autogas stations.

Emission Benefits

Compared to a conventional gasoline engine truck, the reduced quantity of emissions is impressive.

Running the usage of the alternative fuel fleet through Argonne National Laboratory’s Alternative Fuel

Life-Cycle Environment and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) calculator and Greenhouse gasses,

Regulated Emissions and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model yielded the following results.

Significantly reduced CO2 emissions: up to 22% within the fleet.

NOX emissions cut by at least 10% on each truck.

Reduction and elimination of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions through

evaporation. Due to the sealed nature of a CNG fuel system, evaporative VOC emissions are

completely eliminated and overall VOC emissions drop by 52%. LP vehicles reduce

evaporative VOC by 21%.

As the public becomes more aware of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions along with the

financial advantages of alternative fuel vehicles, future reductions in emissions are expected both

through economies of scale from infrastructure expansion and continued replacement of older gasoline

powered trucks in preference of newer LP and CNG vehicles.

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Photographs and Outreach

A public outreach plan promoting MSRC’s co-funding of U-Haul’s purchase of the alternative fuel

fleet was launched in October 2013. Through PR Newswire, a press release was sent to media outlets

throughout Southern California along with approximately 350 websites in partnership with PR

Newswire. In addition, the partnership was announced through U-Haul’s social media efforts on

Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and corporate website.

In addition to the press release, Roush CleanTech and Westport (formerly BAF Technologies)

prominently displayed examples of U-Haul’s alternative fuels fleet during the SCAQMD co-sponsored

2014 Alternative Clean Transportation Expo held at the Long Beach Convention Center. Over 4,400

members of the industry and media attending North America’s largest clean fleet expo had the

opportunity to view examples of the deployed trucks during the conference. This display of U-Haul

trucks generated news articles in Fleets and Fuels and Natural Gas Intelligence’s Daily Gas Price

Index, leading to thousands of additional views pertaining to the alternative fuel pilot program.

The initial success of the pilot program also sparked an environmentally aware, green-themed issue of

U-Haul News – U-Haul’s internal newspaper – showcasing the 23 rental trucks of the pilot fleet

alongside recently deployed propane powered service vehicles and the continued expansion of U-Haul

Centers offering propane autogas to the public.

A copy of the press release, news clippings from U-Haul News, Fleets and Fuels and NGI’s Daily Price

Index and eight selected photos of the fleet follows:

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U-Haul Introduces Alternative Fuel Powered Moving Vans to Southern California

LOS ANGELES (Aug. XX, 2013) — U-Haul has recently launched a new alternative-fuel-vehicle

pilot program involving propane-powered (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) U-Haul moving

vans. California’s Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee is partnering with U-

Haul to implement this alternative-fuel pilot program with 15 LPG and 8 CNG U-Haul moving vans at

10 U-Haul locations in Los Angeles County.

―These product tests fit in perfectly with U-Haul Company’s corporate sustainability vision of being

committed to sustainable development through environmental protection, social responsibility and

economic efficiency,‖ stated Allan Yang, Ph.D., director, U-Haul Corporate Sustainability Programs.

―At U-Haul, corporate sustainability means embracing our responsibility to act as a good corporate

citizen.‖

―We are continually improving the performance of our products, services and activities to meet our

customers’ needs, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,‖

stated John (J.T.) Taylor, president—Phoenix Operations, U-Haul International, Inc. ―As an example,

we have also begun the process of transforming a significant number of U-Haul service vehicles to run

solely on liquid propane (LPG) using Roush CleanTech systems, before the end of the year.‖

U-Haul alternative-fuel infrastructure includes more than 1,100 refill locations that are staffed by

trained and certified propane-dispensing teams. U-Haul propane-fueling locations are fast and

convenient. Whether refilling a BBQ cylinder, car, truck or bus, our customers can enjoy the speed and

convenience of paying right at the pump. U-Haul propane-fueling locations accept all major credit

cards, including Wright Express fuel cards.

―By replacing an equivalent number of gasoline-powered trucks, U-Haul LPG and CNG rental vans

will create an estimated 22 percent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for each U-Haul

vehicle powered by alternative fuel within Los Angeles County each year,‖ added Dr. Yang. ―Other

greenhouse gas reductions include carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOX), volatile organic

compounds (VOCs) and particle matter (PM).‖

These LPG- and CNG-powered U-Haul moving vans also feature the Company’s exclusive fuel-

economy gauge to help our customer’s save money on fuel and reduce air pollution as well as having

low profile, rounded corners and aerodynamic-skirt designs to reduce wind drag and increase fuel-

economy.

For more information, visit us online at uhaul.com.

About U-Haul: http://www.uhaul.com/About/History.aspx

Contact:

Joanne Fried

Ashleigh Wagner

U-Haul Public Relations

(602) 263-6194

[email protected]

http://www.uhaul.com/Articles/Sustainability/198/Vision--Goals

http://www.uhaul.com/Propane/?utm_campaign=prnews&utm_source=company-news&utm_medium=propane-location

http://www.uhaul.com/About/History.aspx?utm_campaign=prnews&utm_source=company-news&utm_medium=about-uhaul

http://www.uhaul.com/About/History.aspx?utm_campaign=prnews&utm_source=company-news&utm_medium=about-uhaul

mailto:[email protected]

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Figure 1 – CNG truck rear door.

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Figure 2 – CNG truck rear door (MSRC decal highlighted).

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Figure 3 – LPA truck during fueling.

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Figure 4 – LP truck during fueling (MSRC decal highlighted)

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Figure 5 – Rented LP truck in the field and on the move.

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Figure 6 – LP truck on display at the Roush CleanTech booth, 2014 ACT Expo

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Figure 7 – LP truck (front view) and overview of Roush CleanTech booth at 2014 ACT Expo

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Figure 8 – CNG truck on display at Westport (formerly BAF Technologies) booth, 2014 ACT Expo

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Summary and Conclusions

U-Haul is committed to sustainable development through environmental protection, social

responsibility and economic efficiency. Thanks to the cooperation of the MSRC, this pilot program to

deploy 15 LP and eight CNG powered trucks into Southern California’s rental market has contributed

to improvements in local air quality and the fulfillment of our corporate goals at the same time. When

the benefits of alternative fuels are combined with other features exclusive to U-Haul rental trucks –

such as a fuel economy gauge, low profile, rounded corners and aerodynamic skirt designs – customers

directly save more than 50% on fuel costs. This tangible benefit is in addition to any satisfaction

gained from combating anthropogenic climate change and foreign sourced petroleum.

Over the past year, these 23 vehicles have reduced CO2 emissions up to 22%, lowered NOX emissions

by over 10% and completely eliminated sources of VOC release. These results and immediate success

of this program inspired U-Haul to expand beyond customer-focused rental vehicles. In addition to the

trucks purchased through the MSRC grant, new LP fueled service vehicles driven by field personnel

were introduced into the Orange County and Los Angeles markets. Satisfaction with the alternative

fuel vehicles from customers and employees guarantees further purchase of LP and CNG trucks and

continued expansion of these efforts.

Not content to only deploy trucks into the field, U-Haul is directly improving California’s alternative

fuel infrastructure allowing others to contribute to air quality improvements. 63 U-Haul Centers within

the SCAQMD – and nearly 1,100 across North America – are currently dispensing autogas with the

help of trained and certified team members. Along with other businesses and federal, state and local

agencies, U-Haul is committed to creating an ―alt-fuels corridor‖ from Sand Diego to Seattle along

Interstate 5.

Southern California benefits beyond only a reduction in air pollution. Switching from gasoline to

autogas improves local water quality due to propane’s insolubility in water and low cause for concern

as a contaminant. Release of known carcinogens and toxins such as benzene and toluene are cut

significantly as well when considering the storage and dispensation of alternative fuels over gasoline.

The 71% reduction in ―well to wheels‖ petroleum usage further compounds existing environmental

benefits as each barrel of petroleum removed from the life cycle reduces the impact of drilling,

transporting, storing and refining petroleum products.

The knowledge and experience gained in this project is invaluable as U-Haul continues the process of

deploying alternative fuel vehicles in greater numbers and into other markets. This pilot project would

not have been possible without the support and assistance of the MSRC and it is hoped that U-Haul will

be called on to assist MSRC’s efforts in air pollution reduction in the future.

MSRC Final Report - Clean Transportation Funding

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