ROUSH CleanTech has announced that its new propane autogas fuel system will soon be available for the Ford E-350 cutaway chassis for the Type-A school bus market.
Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing for ROUSH CleanTech, confirmed for School Transportation News that the propane autogas Ford E-350 will be an option from Micro Bird in 2018.
The chassis was unveiled Monday at the American Public Transportation Association Expo in Atlanta.
ROUSH said there are currently over 1,200 Ford E-450 propane autogas transit shuttles operating in transit fleets and 150 E-450 propane autogas Type-A school buses across the U.S. But Mouw added in a statement that the new Ford E-350 offers fleet managers a smaller, lighter vehicle option. Both chassis maintain their original base Ford warranty.
The E-350 will be available in both single rear-wheel and dual rear-wheel configurations. ROUSH added that the new system is expected to reduce 90,000 pounds of carbon dioxide over the vehicle lifetime.
ROUSH added that, historically, propane autogas costs up to 40 percent less than gasoline and 50 percent less than diesel. It also reduces maintenance costs due to its clean-burning properties.
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Propane autogas school buses powered by a Ford 6.8L V10 two-valve engine maintain the same horsepower, torque and towing capacity as Ford gasoline-fueled chassis, ROUSH explained. The school buses will also be certified by the EPA and California Air Resources Board and will be compliant with heavy-duty onboard diagnostics.
