Belgium showcases NGVs at Brussels Motor Show

úterý, 20. ledna 2015

Incentives by gas industry and car makers encourage switching to natural gas

To promote the use of natural gas as a fuel, ARGB, the Belgian gas industry federation, is offering a bonus of 1,000 Euro on every new vehicle running on gas bought during the Belgian Motor Show, with manufacturers adding an additional discount to make the switch to the much more environmentally friendly mode of transportation even more attractive. The incentives are available for both companies and private individuals and last until 25 January.

Similar initiatives proved successful during last year’s Motor Show, when over 150 natural gas vehicles were sold - as many as over the whole of 2013. This year, car makers are expecting to top the sales of 2014. NGVA.be, the Belgian natural gas vehicle association, says the incentives have helped to position natural gas as a credible alternative to traditional fuels in Belgium, which currently has 1,500 gas-fuelled vehicles on the road.

Ngva.be stand at the Motor Show

The development of Belgium’s refuelling infrastructure is advancing quickly too. There are currently 23 filling stations for compressed natural gas (CNG) in the country, with 6 supply points built in the last 12 months. Moreover, the first two filling stations for liquefied natural gas (LNG) were opened in 2014. NGVA.be invited the companies involved to share their experience with the use of environmentally friendly LNG for road haulage at the association’s stand within the Brussels fair.

The supply points in Kallo (Port of Antwerp) and Veurne are strategically located and enable trucks from neighbouring countries to refuel when crossing Belgium. They have also lowered the threshold for more transport and logistics companies to make the switch to LNG as a sustainable alternative to diesel.

Heavy-duty vehicles running on LNG and CNG were showcased at the Brussels fair in a dedicated Truck & Transport salon. Besides LNG trucks recently introduced by Iveco and Scania, the highlight was the world premiere of Volvo’s FE CNG truck, which runs on compressed natural gas and complies with Euro VI emission standards.

Source: NGVA Europe, Ngva.be

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