Near-zero emissions for Ford’s new 7.3-liter V8

Ford 7.3-Liter V8
Ford’s new 7.3-liter gas engine is available in the 2020 F-250 through the 2020 F-750.

Near-zero emission options for Class 4-7 trucks and vans are growing thanks to Ford, Landi Renzo and funding incentives.

Landi Renzo USA announced a $600,000 award—$300,000 in funding from California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (South Coast AQMD) Clean Fuel and $300,000 from the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas)—for Landi Renzo’s near-zero compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion for Ford’s new 7.3-liter V8.

Once modified by Landi Renzo, the pushrod engine (Ford’s first such design since the mid-90s) will demonstrate an impressive 0.02 g/bhp-hr NOx California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified engine for commercial vehicle applications. The project is well underway with expected completion by the second quarter of 2020.

The Ford base engine will offer fleets a near-zero CNG engine for the F-450, F-550, F-650, F-750, F-53, F-59, and E-450 applications. This near-zero solution is packaged for shuttle buses, box trucks, tow trucks, service body trucks, large package trucks and other vocational offerings. Many of these vehicles will be able to take advantage of various grants.

“We are excited that Landi Renzo USA is driving clean technology for the automotive sector. They’ve done this on a global scale and now are bringing their advanced technology to the U.S. market,” said Michael Lee, project manager, research and development at SoCalGas.

To date, near-zero natural gas offerings in the work truck market have been slim to none depending on the application. In addition to operating on compressed natural gas, the near-zero 7.3 will also be able to use renewable natural gas (RNG). RNG is an organic-based fuel that, according to CARB, has the lowest carbon intensity score on record of any fuel. AMP Renew’s RNG received a CI score of -255 while electric came in second with a score of +35. According to Landi Renzo, RNG provides a 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gases versus gasoline or diesel.

“While we have deployed thousands of clean natural gas vehicles over the past 10 years, this collaboration will drive customers to the next generation of near-zero natural gas vehicles,” said Andrea Landi, president of Landi Renzo USA. “We are excited about this opportunity. Unlike some technologies that take years to develop, our near-zero engine is available for order now.”

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Vehicles will come directly from the Ford manufacturing plant to Landi Renzo USA’s facility in Torrance, Calif. or an authorized distributor where they will be converted with Landi Renzo’s Eco Ready CNG system.

Landi Renzo USA is the only approved Ford QVM (Qualified Vehicle Modifier) developer and installer for CARB, the agency responsible for implementing California’s landmark climate legislation. As an OEM approved system under Ford’s QVM program, the original warranty remains fully in place.