50% fuel savings with new LNG-powered loader

Foton Lovol, a company better known in China for its agricultural equipment, will exhibit 17 construction machines at Bauma China. Among them will be a newly developed wheeled loader, powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

LNG is a popular and widely available road fuel in China - many taxis use it - and Foton Lovol says there are advantages to gas over traditional diesel. One of the biggest selling points is the lower fuel cost. Based on fuel prices in China, Foton Lovol says running the machine on LNG is about half the cost of an equivalent diesel loader. This is based on a 16 hour day and 300 working days per year (4,800 hours per year), and the savings come out to CNY 210,000 (US$ 33,000) per year.

The unit on show at Bauma China will feature a large fuel tank, capable of holding enough LNG for a 16 hour shift, while a three-stage filter makes it suitable for dusty environments. The tank has been safety tested to temperatures of 100° C and has also been subjected to 10 m drop tests.

The company also says that LNG is a cleaner burning fuel than diesel, which helps prolong engine life as well as protect the environment.