Natural gas truck sales spiked in February: ACT

by Truck News

COLUMBUS, Ind. – Natural gas retail truck sales surged in February, up 44% from January, but were still down 12% year-to-date through the first two months of 2019.

ACT Research reported year-to-date sales are down 24%.

“Bucking the early decline pattern of the past few years, cumulative sales for the first two months of 2019 appear to be gaining ground,” said Ken Vieth, senior partner and general manager at ACT Research. “Despite a soft January, sales of natural gas-powered vehicles picked up in February, both month-over-month, up 44%, and year-over-year, up 13%.”

Vieth added, “Based on news released in the popular press, natural gas vehicle purchases continued to be dominated by refuse fleets, as well as transit and school bus operators. Among truckers, it appears as though the majority of incremental volume came from current natural gas vehicle users replacing units or increasing their number. That said, transportation power is no longer a one-size-fits-all proposition. All viable commercial vehicle power alternatives, from diesel and natural gas to electric of all kinds, must now be considered to accurately measure potential cost savings, while meeting future emissions, and ACT sees the development of electric vehicles growing, even while natural gas adoptions continue and diesel-powered engines increase in efficiency.”

Saddle Creek is now running more than 100 natural gas Freightliners.


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