U.S. and Canadian Class 8 natural gas retail sales jumped up 20 percent year-to-date during the first 11 months in 2019 compared to the prior year, ACT Research released this week in its quarterly alternative fuels report.
For reference, ACT says full-year 2018 was down 15 percent, while 2017 was up 13 percent.
“Bucking the declining pattern of the past few years, year-to-date November 2019 sales appear to be gaining ground, with sales of natural-gas powered vehicles on an overall upward trajectory,” says Ken Vieth, senior partner and general manager, ACT Research. “That said and based on news released in the popular press, natural gas vehicle purchases were dominated by refuse fleets, as well as transit and school bus operators. Among truckers, the majority of incremental volume came from existing natural gas vehicle on-highway users replacing units or adding to their fleets.”
Vieth adds ACT’s Alternative Fuels Quarterly analyzes the change in existing and planned alternative fuel/power infrastructure and equipment developments.
On that note, he says, “We’re seeing an overall increase in electric charging stations, but a continuing decline of total natural gas stations. Further analysis shows that the number of planned private heavy-duty CNG stations is growing. Regarding electric commercial vehicles, right now we’re witnessing a tug-of-war between fuel-cell and battery technology investment in the Class 8 over-the-road market, and it’s way too early for us to call a winner.”
