John Sommers II for Transport TopicsARLINGTON, Va. — Executives from truck and engine makers said competition and higher production volumes will lead to cost reductions for natural-gas trucks, which are more expensive than diesel models.
“As we go from volume [where] we are now to where we think we’ll be, certainly there are efficiencies to be gained in the manufacturing process,” said T.J. Reed, director of product strategy for Freightliner Trucks.
Bill Dawson, senior advisor for group trucks sales and marketing at Volvo Group, said it “doesn’t hurt if the government leads” in the push for natural gas trucks, but “what we need is scale.”
The truck and engine makers spoke on a Thursday afternoon panel at American Trucking Associations’ Summit on Natural Gas in Trucking. The panel was moderated by Transport Topics Editorial Director Howard Abramson.