GREENSBORO, N.C. — Mack and Volvo will be working will Shell to coordinate efforts and support activities that encourage the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for commercial vehicles, the companies announced.

“Mack has had natural gas-powered vehicles in customer service since 2009, and we look forward to working with Shell and other fuel providers to further support the burgeoning natural gas truck market here in North America,” said Kevin Flaherty, president of Mack Trucks North American sales and marketing.

“Customer interest in natural gas as a heavy-duty truck fuel will only continue to grow,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North American sales and marketing. “We plan to introduce our own Volvo LNG-fuelled engine in 2014, and this agreement is part of our effort to collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure that the market is supported with the necessary infrastructure.”

The agreement with Shell is global and non-exclusive (meaning Mack and Volvo can work with other partners), and will include collaboration on issues such as fuel specification and emissions performance, as well as general sharing of knowledge and experience with all aspects of this burgeoning market.

Mack’s initial foray into natural gas came with its natural gas-powered Mack TerraPro refuse vehicle. The company recently delivered its first natural gas-powered Mack Pinnacle model, offering an LNG solution for on-highway applications. Mack also announced plans to launch a natural gas-powered Mack Granite for the construction segment in 2013. Both models will be equipped with the Cummins Westport ISX12G spark-ignited engine, which can run on LNG as well as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

Volvo Trucks announced the development of its proprietary 13-litre LNG engine for North America in May. The engine’s advanced high-pressure diesel ignition technology is designed to provide “significant fuel efficiency gains compared with spark-ignited natural gas engines, making it a viable solution for long-haul trucking applications,” according to Volvo officials. The company’s proprietary Volvo I-Shift automated manual transmission also will be available for customers to spec’.

The company currently offers a natural gas-powered option for the Volvo VNM daycab, and will offer a natural gas-powered version of the Volvo VNL daycab beginning in 2013. Both models utilize spark-ignited engines.