Introduction

Background

The European market for Natural Gas and Dual Fuel Vehicles is modest in absolute vehicle numbers. However, major opportunity exists to expand the deployment of heavy-duty natural gas (NGVs) and dual fuel vehicles (DFVs). A major advantage of natural gas as a heavy-duty transportation fuel is its relatively low price compared to diesel fuel on an energy-equivalent basis.
The project partners believe in LNG as a real alternative for medium & long distance transport – first as a complementary fuel and later as an adequate substitute for diesel.
The broader societal challenge is the development of advanced non-hybrid powertrain concepts for heavy duty vehicles (either dual-fuel or optimised for pure natural gas operation), complying with Euro VI emissions standards and meeting the CO2 or greenhouse gas emissions targets currently under definition. This will deliver significant air quality improvements, particularly in terms of particle numbers and NOx in real driving conditions, and will reduce the contribution of heavy duty vehicles to climate change. Read more…

Objective

The overall objective of the HDGAS project is to develop, demonstrate and optimize advanced powertrain concepts for dual-fuel and for pure natural gas operation engines, perform integration thereof into heavy duty vehicles and confirm achievement of Euro VI emissions standards, in-use compliance under real-world driving conditions and CO2 or greenhouse gas targets currently under definition.

To realize the full potential of NG powered vehicles, the following challenges will be addressed: 1) vehicle costs, 2) infrastructure costs/access, 3) vehicle performance/operations, and 4) vehicle/engine availability.
HDGAS targets for step-changes in vehicle costs, vehicle performance and vehicle/engine availability. The achievement of these targets will facilitate the deployment of heavy-duty natural gas (NGVs) and dual fuel vehicles (DFVs) and will facilitate investments in infrastructure and the deployment of the LNG/CNG stations as financial and operational risks are lowered and the return on investment and payback times are favourable.

HDGAS approach to innovation showing project scope and targets, follow up activities, targeted annual production capacity and sales volumes for 2018 and beyond.

HDGAS has the following scientific and technical objectives:

  1. To specify technical requirements and international/European standards of LNG fueling interfaces and fueling process for heavy duty vehicles (trucks and buses) and to develop selected LNG fueling components and interfaces
  2. To develop an advanced LNG fuel tank system which is in line with relevant present and yet to be defined technical specifications and standards for fueling interfaces and filling processes.
  3. To develop and demonstrate new generations of exhaust aftertreatment systems and low emission technologies (TRL6) for dual fuel and gas engines allowing real driving emissions below Euro VI limits for heavy duty vehicles
  4. To develop and demonstrate advanced ≥ 10% more fuel-efficient direct Positive Ignition natural gas engines and powertrains (TRL6) suited for heavy duty vehicles and integrate the engine and a new fuel system on a vehicle
  5. To develop and demonstrate an advanced port injected dual fuel powertrains (TRL6) suited for heavy duty vehicles and integrate the engine and a new fuel system on a vehicle
  6. To develop and demonstrate an advanced gas engine concept based on high pressure gas injection and pilot diesel ignition (TRL6) and integrate the engine and a new fuel system on a vehicle
  7. To assess the achieved technical solutions by independent testing and to carry out an overall assessment of the proposed technology combinations and quantification of their environmental impacts along the entire Tank-to-wheel chain.