Landi Renzo to Offer Ship-Thru on Ford CNG Vehicles

Photo courtesy of Landi Renzo USA.

Landi Renzo USA will begin offering a ship-through channel for customers to take delivery of converted compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks and vans utilizing Ford's existing distribution network from Ford's Ohio Assembly Plant, the company announced at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

Customers can now order a CNG-equipped F-450, F-550, F-650, or F-750 Super Duty truck by selecting the ship-through option on a dealer order form, in a new collaboration with a Landi Renzo installer located in Avon Lake, Ohio.

The cost for this ship-through is $10, which is billed on the dealer invoice. The $10 includes having the truck pulled, upfitted, put back into Ford's transportation system, and delivered to the final destination.

Ship-through capabilities cover all models built at Ford's Ohio Assembly Plant, which include F-450 to F-750, as well as the E-Series cutaway van.

Related: EPA Certifies Landi Renzo's CNG F-650/F-750 Stripped Chassis

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Fuso Adds Gasoline V-8 to FE Series Cabovers

Photo: Chris Brown

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America premiered a new prototype V-8 gasoline powertrain for the company's FE Series medium-duty cabovers at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

The engine is a 6-liter Vortec Series motor from GM coupled to an Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission and it will be available on the FE 130, FE 160 and FE 180 models. It will be the only gas truck in its class with Power Take Off capabilities for auxiliary equipment, according to a company representative.

A trial run of trucks equipped with the new engine will be available in the fourth quarter of 2017.

The V8 FE Series trucks will be the first Fuso vehicles assembled in the U.S. at the Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation's facility in South Carolina. The engines and transmissions will be built in the U.S. but the chassis, cabs, and axles will come from Europe and Japan.

Related: Mitsubishi Fuso to Brings Electric eCanter to U.S.

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Mitsubishi Fuso to Brings Electric eCanter to U.S.

Photo: Chris Brown

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America has introduced the eCanter battery-powered Class 4 truck, offering the first 50 units to a select group of customers next year, the company announced at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

The electric trucks will be made available as part of a two-year lease, allowing companies time to use the vehicle before trading up to the next generation. The company says the trucks will cost 15-20% more than comparable diesel models.

The Class 4 truck has a 100-mile range, 15,995-pound Gross Vehicle Weight rating, and a 9,380-pound payload capacity. The batteries can be quick-charged within an hour at a DC charging station or over the course of eight hours using a 230-volt outlet.

The electric motor generates 173 horsepower and 494 lb.-ft. of torque - more torque than the company's V10 gasoline motor in its Class 6 truck, according to Mitsubishi Fuso. The motor is powered by six batteries, which the company says are preconditioned during charging to ensure the range stays consistent in cold and hot weather. The drivetrain is fitted to a standard 151.6-inch cab chassis that is 33.5 inches wide - similar to the company's traditional diesel cabovers. This allows the vehicle to be fitted with the same body attachments as some current models - a plus for upfitters.

The vehicle features two-stage electric regenerative braking system, electric HVAC, and a high-capacity Power Take Off for applications that need it.

The Fuso eCanter was originally shown off last year by Daimler Trucks Asia at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany, aimed at urban delivery in the Southern California and New York City markets.

Related: Electric Delivery Trucks, Vans on the Way for U.S.

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