Finnish postal operator Itella Posti is launching six natural gas vehicles to be put intoservice in the cities of Tampere, Kotka, Lappeenranta and Lahti.
Itella was the first company in Finland to introduce a natural gas-powered delivery vehicle inHelsinki in 2006. Due to positive user experiences and the growing number of refuelling stations,the company has decided to purchase Bi-Fuel vehicles for mail deliveries.
The six right-hand-drive Nissan Note delivery cars running on natural gas are equipped with theBi-Fuel system converted in Finland.
“Vehicles running on natural gas are ideally suited for delivery services in cities and towns.Natural gas does not contain any sulphur or heavy metals and, furthermore, carbon dioxide emissionsof natural gas vehicles are about one-fourth smaller than those of similar gasoline vehicles. Otherbenefits of natural gas vehicles include lower fuel costs and a quiet engine. Bi-Fuel vehicles canbe used in similar conditions as gasoline vehicles. Natural gas vehicles are also suitable for usein an extreme cold weather,” Itella said in a statement.
As Finland’s largest delivery company, Itella plays a major role in the development ofeco-friendly transportation systems. The postal operator employs more than 5,000 vehicles thatcover about 100 million kilometres a year. An essential goal of Itella’s environmental scheme is todecrease carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2020 compared to 2007, in relation to turnover.
“Natural gas-powered cars are one way to mitigate climate change,” the company said. Itella alsostrives to reduce fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions through effective route planning,combining several trips into one, and eco-friendly driving techniques.
More than 11 million natural gas cars are being used globally, with more than 1,100,000 in usein Europe. In Finland, there are currently 900 natural gas vehicles.
