Landi Renzo - natural-gas Ford 7.3L engine

[kscarbel2]

Landi Renzo USA awarded $600K for natural-gas Ford 7.3L engine

Green Car Congress  /  February 13, 2020

California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (South Coast AQMD) Clean Fuel Funds and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) have awarded a combined $600,000 ($300,000 each) to Landi Renzo USA for Landi Renzo’s 7.3L Near-Zero natural gas engine development program, which covers Class 4-7 vehicles.

Landi Renzo USA is the US subsidiary of Landi Renzo Group.

This collaboration will modify the recently introduced Ford 7.3-liter gasoline engine and demonstrate a 0.02 g/bhp-hr NO_x California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified engine for commercial vehicle applications. The project is well underway with expected completion by Q2 2020.

The new Ford 7.3-liter V8, introduced first for the Super Duty F-250 and F-350 pickup models in August 2019, features an overhead valve architecture that generates power low in the rev range to help get heavier loads moving sooner and with greater confidence. It also features a variable-displacement oil pump, extra-large main bearings, forged steel crankshaft for durability, and piston cooling jets to help manage temperatures under heavy load.

The Ford base engine will offer fleets a Near-Zero Natural Gas engine for the F-450, F-550, F-650, F-750, F-53, F-59, and E-450 applications. This Near-Zero Natural Gas engine is packaged for shuttle buses (e.g., hotel, airport, rental car) box trucks, tow trucks, service body trucks, large package trucks and a host of other vocational offerings.

Many of these vehicles will be able to take advantage of various grant funding opportunities.

To date, the biggest gap in the Near-Zero Natural Gas offering has been the work truck market. In addition to operating on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), this engine will also be able to utilize Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). RNG fuel is organic-based and is carbon net-negative when used by natural gas trucks. RNG provides a 70% reduction in greenhouse gases versus gasoline or diesel.

The Near-Zero Natural Gas vehicles come directly from the Ford manufacturing plant to Landi Renzo USA’s facility in Torrance or an Authorized Distributor, where they are converted with the Landi Renzo’s Eco Ready CNG system.

Landi Renzo USA is the only approved Ford QVM (Qualified Vehicle Modifier) developer and installer for CARB. As an OEM-approved system under Ford’s QVM program, the original warranty remains fully in place.

[kscarbel2]

Landi Renzo Receives CNG Certification for Ford 7.3L Engine

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  March 27, 2020

Landi Renzo USA received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification on compressed natural gas (CNG) for the Ford 7.3L engine covering Class 4-7 vehicles.

These Ford vehicles are included in the EPA certification:

• F-450/550
• F-650/750
• F-53/59
• E-450

The Landi Renzo USA eco-fuel CNG system for the 7.3L engine is used in airport and hotel shuttle buses, delivery trucks, service trucks, large package trucks, as well as other vocational offerings.

Many of these vehicles will be able to take advantage of various grant funding opportunities, according to Landi Renzo.

"Our EPA certification is result of the tremendous work of many individuals. We also want to recognize Ford's support in helping us produce a world class CNG product," said Paul Shaffer, EVP for Landi Renzo USA.

During this 18-month effort, Landi Renzo USA conducted extensive engine and vehicle testing to meet the stringent Ford Q-185 gaseous prep guidelines and demonstrate full useful life durability. 

CARB certification on the 7.3L is expected in late Q2 2020.

Landi Renzo USA is approved as a Ford QVM System Developer and Installer for gaseous fuels, offering the largest selection of eco-fuel systems for commercial fleets. By fleets utilizing the Landi Renzo USA system, the Ford warranty remains fully in place.

[RoadwayR]

This demonstrates one of the issues in dealing with CARB:  CARB may well approve this engine/application for 2020, but if it isn't before late 2Q 2020 it may be too late for fleets to get large orders in to Ford before the 2020 order cut-off.  So, wait until next year.  Of course, just because CARB approved this engine/application for 2020, it does not mean it will be approved for 2021, it might need to be tested again.   And if it does, look for it to be approved around late 2Q 2021..........

Yes, I believe the Ford factory warranty does remain in place, but Ford does not warranty any of the Landi-Renzo components or their installation.