AFDC - Alternative Fuel News Vol.
Alternative fuels can sometimes be a tough sell.
If AFVs are to penetrate the market sooner rather than later, Clean Cities must concentrate their efforts on the applications in which AFVs make sense, and cents. Predictable routes and centralized refueling facilitate scheduling and allow for overnight or off-hour refueling, leaving more time for scheduled stops during the workday. Considering these factors, taxis, city shuttles, transit bus fleets using CNG, and rural propane pickup truck service fleets can most often make both sense and cents. As zero-emission vehicles, electric vehicles are ideal for these applications, and electricity is a relatively inexpensive alternative fuel. This niche market also includes delivery fleets with limited routes in dense, urban areas-vehicles that must stop frequently along their routes, which are often in nonattainment areas.