Alternative delivery vans?

**ghosthunter** · June 2nd, 2008 09:52 AM

With the still rising costs of fuel, companies are looking for alternatives to saving money in their daily operation.

One way I though was to use an alternative fuel for delivery vans. One ready system is auto-LPG but I don't know if there are any vans available in the local market that would fit the requirements. One major problem is diesel engines don't readily convert to run on 100% LPG. Typically they can only run on a mix of diesel/lpg at ratio of 70/30.

An ideal setup would be some thing like the following...

vehicle: L300 FB with aluminum van rear
engine: 2.0L to 2.5L gasoline (to be converted to run on LPG)
tranny: manual with low gear range.

Anyone who can suggest a viable setup? Viable means I don't have to do much conversion to setup a delivery van. Why? As much as I can purchase a standard L300 passenger van with gasoline engine, it will be a waste of money to rip up a totally good passenger van to convert to a delivery van setup.

**niky** · June 2nd, 2008 12:32 PM

What about Chana vans?

They're kinda small, but they use 1.3 - 1.5 liter Suzuki-based engines and have a good warranty (Benni gets 100,000 kms... dunno about the vans). So even if reliability is below average (no indications yet), you can replace with original Japanese parts.

The refrigerated one is particularly attractive... oh, and look... there's space under the delivery container for an LPG tank on the side... just counterbalance it with something else... maybe put it on the right side to offset the weight of the driver.

**ghosthunter** · June 2nd, 2008 01:31 PM

Although they have small gasoline engines, these vans are simply have too small of a cargo load to be economically better than what we have now. I have already considered and rejected these van sizes (seen around 3 brands of these type of vans).

Originally Posted by niky

What about Chana vans?

They're kinda small, but they use 1.3 - 1.5 liter Suzuki-based engines and have a good warranty (Benni gets 100,000 kms... dunno about the vans). So even if reliability is below average (no indications yet), you can replace with original Japanese parts.

The refrigerated one is particularly attractive... oh, and look... there's space under the delivery container for an LPG tank on the side... just counterbalance it with something else... maybe put it on the right side to offset the weight of the driver.

**uls** · June 2nd, 2008 01:55 PM

instead of converting your delivery vehicle to LPG, why not just ask your customers to pay a fuel surcharge.

Ask them nicely, im sure they would understand.

**tidus1203** · June 2nd, 2008 02:02 PM

No better yet convert to LPG and ask your customers for fuel surcharge due to the rising prices of crude :evil:

**ghosthunter** · June 2nd, 2008 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by uls

instead of converting your delivery vehicle to LPG, why not just ask your customers to pay a fuel surcharge.

Ask them nicely, im sure they would understand.

I think it's not a viable alternative even if they understand the situation. And a fuel surcharge will only temporarily offset the cost of fuel. Auto-LPG is a more long term solution to the high price of diesel fuel, if there would only be available trucks with engines compatible to 100% LPG.

**niky** · June 2nd, 2008 03:02 PM

Too bad, then... there's just no delivery vans in gasoline, anymore. The market for a gasoline delivery van just isn't there... unless Mitsubishi still produces gasoline L300s.

**uls** · June 2nd, 2008 03:35 PM

Buy a japan surplus gas engine to replace your diesel engine

then convert that gas engine to LPG

i know it sounds like a lot of work...

kaya i prefer the fuel surcharge.

Other companies just raise the prices of their goods or services.

**ghosthunter** · June 2nd, 2008 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by uls

Buy a japan surplus gas engine to replace your diesel engine

then convert that gas engine to LPG

i know it sounds like a lot of work...

yup, it is... but its still might be cheaper than the alternative to keeping on paying the high prices of diesel. You have to consider delivery vans travel long distances per day and they do this every work day.

So it might make sense if one takes the long term point of view.

Actually we have this ancient delivery van (1968 Ford Transit Mark 1) that we are restoring. It's one of the original three delivery vans we had in our company. Anyway, the plan is to eventually convert it to auto-LPG once it's back in running condition (which is around 1 month to go). I didn't expect this "project" of using a LPG fueled van to go beyond the small scale pet project we have in the office.

kaya i prefer the fuel surcharge.

Other companies just raise the prices of their goods or services.

True but you can only raise your prices so much before your products begin to loose it's competitiveness in the marketplace.

Also you have to consider that it's not only fuel going up but nearly all input factors are going up like wages, electricity, raw materials. So some savings (in this case, fuel) would help in keeping the operating budget from going out of control.

**ghosthunter** · June 2nd, 2008 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by niky

Too bad, then... there's just no delivery vans in gasoline, anymore. The market for a gasoline delivery van just isn't there... unless Mitsubishi still produces gasoline L300s.

Unfortunately they don't but retooling to produce them would be quick though (since they will just need to change the engine) if there is enough interest in such vehicles, especially if they can be auto-LPG equipped straight from the factory.

LPG = P29/L
Diesel = P46/L
Gasoline = P55/L