COLUMBUS, Ind. — Sales of natural gas-powered Class 8 tractors were mixed in the September to November 2022 time period, according to the latest Alternative Fuels Quarterly by ACT Research.
September activity surpassed its year-ago level by 29%, but both October and November lagged last year’s comparisons by 9%.
“In the near term, results were even more volatile, with September gaining 12% month over month, October dropping 39% compared to the previous month and November surging 45% sequentially,” Steve Tam, vice president at ACT Research, said. “Quantifying activity, NG sales totaled 3,719 units in 2021 (+10% from 2020). Through the first 11 months of 2022, OEMs have sold 3,497 NG-powered Class 8 units.”
Tam said there were 751 public compressed natural gas stations open in the US in mid-December 2022, the vast majority of which can accommodate a heavy-duty vehicle. He added that liquid NG station count at the same period was 51, with all able to serve Class 8 vehicles.
“This translates to 71 fewer public CNG station and 3 fewer public LNG station since mid-September 2022,” Tam said.
Tam said that given the existing station count’s downward trajectory, it isn’t a surprise that planned CNG stations are also contracting.
“(The) number of stations is one measure,” Tam said. “What we don’t know is the increase or decrease in the amount of fuel being pumped at each station.”
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