The 454bhp Stralis NP tractor was pulling a tri-axle box van trailer and running at 30 tonnes gvw. It left London and, after a ferry crossing from Dover to Calais, completed the 1,728km road journey without refuelling – and beating the vehicle’s official range of 1,600km.
Compared to a diesel equivalent, the gas-powered truck achieved a £200 fuel saving for the outward journey.
Martin Flach, IVECO’s alternative fuels director, said it was a chance to put the latest 454bhp gas-powered engine “to the ultimate test”.
He adds: “We brimmed the tank before we left London, and the first time we stopped for fuel was in Madrid, two and a half days later. Running on 100% natural power means there’s no diesel or AdBlue to worry about, making it the simplest solution for both the fleet manager and the driver.”
Despite heavy traffic on the UK side, a strong headwind in France and the hilly Spanish roads, the Stralis NP recorded an average fuel consumption of 22.6kg/100km.
IVECO planned the journey using MyBestRoute, a web-based application developed by Michelin for Stralis NP customers. It enables users to select the optimum route for any European journey, including plotting LNG refuelling stations, and provides journey costs for diesel and natural gas-powered trucks.