Icom North America Wins EPA Approval For Bi-Fuel Propane Engines

Icom North America, the leading innovator, developer, and manufacturer of liquid injection propane systems for commercial and consumer vehicles, has attained the first U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval for its Liquid Injection Propane bi-fuel systems for the Ford 6.8 liter engines, produced for Ford Econoline vans.

Ralph Perpetuini, CEO of Icom North America, said his company was given the green light by the EPA to convert applicable Ford 6.8 liter gasoline engines for E-250, E-350, and E-450 platforms covering model years 2010 and 2011 for propane and gasoline (or bi-fuel) use. Most end users of this technology will be commercial fleets of ambulances, shuttle buses, flatbeds, cutaways, and cargo vehicles.

"This is the first time the EPA has certified a bi-fuel engine system using liquid propane injection," Perpetuini noted. "We believe propane is the most energy-efficient and practical alternative fuel currently available."

"Coupled with gasoline in a bi-fuel engine, propane gives fleet owners the option of refueling with either fuel, providing extended range," he said. "This is ideal for the fleet user who has numerous delivery vehicles, including those with small fleets at many locations."

Since 2004, Icom North America has been supplying its patented JTG liquid-injection propane mono-fuel systems to leading bus, truck, and commercial vehicle manufacturers in the U.S.

Perpetuini said Icom will add 8-10 new positions later this year at its manufacturing facility in New Hudson, MI, where the company already has begun production of the EPA-certified bi-fuel conversion system for existing customers.

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