A Canadian Technology Leader
Canada has been at the forefront of natural gas vehicle technology. Today, the availability of new engines and vehicle technology are competitive options for fleet operators.
Fleet adopters in Canada introduced some of the earliest vehicle conversions in the 1980s. In the 1990s significant private sector and public sector investments resulted in innovative vehicle technologies, fuel systems and gas compression. Fifteen years ago leading Canadian companies began deploying heavy duty vehicle technologies, which led to a global renaissance in a variety of natural gas vehicle applications. To date, Canadian companies have achieved many global firsts including developing:
- The first heavy engine for the world’s first natural gas transit bus
- The first home refueling appliance for passenger vehicles
- The first indoor refueling for transit buses in London, Ontario
- The first heavy natural gas engine to match the efficiency of a diesel engine
With recent developments in combustion engine technologies that include sophisticated sensors, valve and ignition timing and fuel injection, options for natural gas vehicles have increased significantly. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) are supplying engines that are as small as 1 litre in displacement and as large as 3,000 KW marine power plants. To date there are 10 OEMs offering factory warrantied natural gas engines.