CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
MAY 2014
40
COVER STORY
AROUND THE GLOBE
Stralis Natural Power
Euro VI: a champion
in both environmental
sustainability and
customer profitability
The first units of Stralis Natural Power
Euro VI, the new heavy range of natural
gas-powered vehicles launched by
Iveco, have already been deployed to
European customers. Iveco has long
embraced this challenge, especially
for transport missions in sectors such
as the distribution, short and medium-
long range logistics and municipal
services, such as waste collection
and transportation. Through this
latest development, Iveco confirms
its leadership in the alternative fuel
technology sector, by offering a complete
range of light, medium and heavy
commercial vehicles as well as buses
powered by natural gas. A total of over
12 000 units have been sold to date,
2 000 of which were sold in 2013.
The extensive product range for the new
Stralis Natural Power Euro VI with 2 and
3-axle rigids and 2-axle tractors satisfies
the numerous needs of the Iveco customer.
The vehicles, manufactured on the same
assembly line as Diesel models at the Iveco
plant in Madrid, are fitted with a Cursor 8
Natural Power engine, ranging from 270 to
330 hp. The engine is coupled to a 16-gear
manual ZF transmission or 6-speed Allison
automatic transmission with hydraulic
torque converter. CNG models have an
overall tank capacity ranging between 400
and 1 300 litres with layouts that can be
tailored to suit customer needs.
Along with the CNG version, for the
medium and long range missions, the
Stralis Natural Power is also available with
LNG for a cruising range of 750 km. The
tractor AT440S33T/P LNG, in standard
Voith to invest €25 million in plant for rail vehicle
components in China
Voith is investing €25 million in the
construction of a new plant for rail vehicle
components in Shanghai. The ceremonial
groundbreaking is planned to take place in
December 2014. Production is expected to
start in Spring 2016. The new production
line will encompass an area of 10 000 m
2
.
With the new production plant, Voith
will develop even stronger ties as a local
company in China and ensure higher local
value creation. “We are moving closer to our
customers and will therefore reinforce and
further expand our position in the Chinese
market,” explains Carsten Reinhardt,
Member of the Management Board of Voith
GmbH and CEO of the Management Board
of the Group Division Voith Turbo.
The opening of the new plant is meant
to boost the step-by-step expansion of rail
vehicle component production in China for
the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, Voith
will set up an engineering centre to develop
and adapt components on site to meet local
customer requirements.
Voith Turbo already has assembly and
production sites for rail and commercial
vehicle drive components, which were
opened in 2007, at the Xinzhuang Industrial
Park in the Minhang District of Shanghai.
The Group Division also holds a 50-percent
stake in two joint ventures: the gear
unit manufacturer Voith Lutong Urban
Rail Gearbox Technology in Changchun
and the Scharfenberg coupler producer
Voith Schaku KTK Coupler Technology in
Shanghai.
Asia is one of the most important growth
markets for Voith. The company generates a
substantial proportion of its sales from this
region, especially in China, and the trend is
growing.
The market for high-speed and regional
trains, as well as the expansion of metro
and tram systems in the sprawling mega
cities hold significant growth potential in
China and the Asia-Pacific region. In the
interim, this trend goes hand in hand with
an ever increasing demand for qualified
service, which will open up new market
perspectives for Voith.
configuration, is equipped with 4 x 70-litre
CNG tanks and a 525-litre LNG cryogenic
tank. Natural gas is stored in its liquid state at
-130°C and at 9-bar pressure, which is then
converted into a gaseous state before being
injected into the engine.
Iveco is the only European manufacturer
to have confirmed its CNG technology
strategy in the evolution from Euro V to Euro
VI: natural gas FPT Industrial engines are
characterised by stoichiometric combustion
or, in other words, a chemically balanced
air-fuel ratio; 100% fuelled by natural gas;
Otto cycle with spark plugs that ignite the
air-fuel mixture injected by a rail, with two
injectors per cylinder. Exhaust gas is treated
by a standard passive three-way catalyst that
does not require the use of any additives.
This vehicle counts numerous advantages,
both in terms of environmental sustainability
as well as customer profitability. With regards
to emissions, Euro VI natural gas engines
are much ‘greener’ than their Euro VI Diesel
counterparts. Natural gas is an absolutely
clean fuel thanks to its particulate emissions
(-95% in comparison to Diesel) and NOx
(-35%) being slashed to the bare minimum.
Furthermore, these vehicles make it possible
to reduce vehicle CO
2
emissions from 10% up
to 100% if bio-methane is used. Lastly, Iveco
proposes a more silent vehicle with an average
decrease of 5 Decibels in comparison to Diesel
models, making it perfect for waste collection
and night-time distribution.
