PROPANE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH COUNCIL

» Record-high prices for gasoline, diesel and propane have spurred the popularity of alternative fuels.

Liquid propane injected Ford OEM pickup trucks belatedly ready for delivery

Alternative Fueled Vehicles in Use

It took a full year longer than expected, but Ford's F-150 pickup featuring a liquid propane injection system to its 5.4-liter, V-8 engine is finally rolling off the assembly lines.

In partnership with Roush, Ford first displayed the trucks and took orders at the 2007 Southeastern Convention & Trade Show in Atlanta.

New Buses by Fuel Type

Production hit a major snag, however. An air inlet system had to be incorporated unexpectedly to meet strict California Air Resources Board emissions standards, according to Thomas Arnold, director of Roush Manufacturing.

Because CARB certification is still pending, Roush cannot yet sell the vehicle in seven "green" states: New York, California, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Utah and Pennsylvania.

U.S. Average Retail Fuel Prices

Forty two orders were placed as of April 15. Arnold says Roush still expects to sell 1,000 vehicles in 2008 through 20 dealerships in eight states.