Roush CleanTech says it’s now taking orders for the new multipurpose Ford F-650 chassis-cab with a propane fuel system, production beginning in October. The truck has a GVWR rating up to 30,000 lb, with the same horsepower, torque, and towing capacity as the gasoline model.

The company says the truck suits fleets running cylinder delivery trucks, dump trucks, boom cranes, box trucks, snow plows, spreaders, and propane bobtail delivery vehicles, among others. At half the cost of diesel and with virtually no particulate emissions, says Roush, fuelling with propane autogas offers valuable benefits.

It comes in two tank-size configurations: for trucks equipped with non-skirted bodies, there’s a fuel-tank package that will provide an 80-useable-gallon fuel capacity; a tank package for skirted bodies will feature approximately 45 useable gallons. The dual-saddle-tank design features a single refueling point, replacing the gasoline tank location.

As well as fuel-cost savings, operating on propane autogas instead of diesel also removes the complexity and cost of diesel exhaust fluid and other aftertreatment measures. Over a 200,000-mile lifecycle, Roush claims a typical fleet can expect to see savings of $50,000 or more in fuel costs with the propane-powered F-650.

A Tier 1 supplier, ROUSH CleanTech is the first and only Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) manufacturer offering dedicated propane fuel systems. Ford offers a full line of commercial vehicles prepped from the factory with gaseous-fuel-ready engines, from the F-250 through F-650, and E-150 through E-450. Ford’s gaseous-fuels prep package includes hardened valves and valve seats for improved wear resistance and durability. The warranty remains intact when installing fuel systems from manufacturers with the Ford QVM designation.