Road Tests: Iveco Daily

A number of van makers are currently dabbling in the field of alternative fuels with dual-fuel products. But so far only Iveco has gone the whole way with a production vehicle running solely on a “non-conventional” fuel; in this case compressed natural gas (CNG). In fact the Daily CNG is almost a range in its own right, with nearly 20 variants. There are five different vans available, from 3,500-5,000kg GVW and with 3,300 or 3,950mm wheelbases, all with the medium-height body. There is also a wide choice of chassis-cab and chassis-cowl versions available for the bodybuilder. We were able to try out a 35C11GV (the 11G in the name indicates a nominal 110hp of gas-provided power). This particular example was loaned by Securicor’s Omega parcel delivery arm; it is currently being evaluated with a view to joining the 100 or so LPG vans Omega currently has in service.

The engine is a spark-ignition version of the 2.8-litre Sofim engine fitted to the higher output diesel-powered Dailys, the principal physical changes being the use of a cylinder head modified to accommodate spark plugs, and pistons that reduce the compression ratio to 12.2:1. An electronic ignition system and a manifold-mounted multi-point fuel-injection system are then added to provide sparks and fuel. Although spark ignition engines tend to rev higher than diesels, the CNG’s red-line is at a modest 3,750rpm, with the green economy band running from 1,750-3,000rpm.

The other big change is the fuel storage, with five steel tanks, totalling 220 litres, mounted around the chassis. This is enough for a range of around 150 mile; whether 150 miles is enough for you is another matter. Inevitably these tanks have a considerable effect on payload; our test example’s maximum capacity is 735kg, compared with 1,110kg for a comparable diesel van. Refuelling is carried out in one of two ways. We used the retail option, visiting one of British Gas’ 12 outlets throughout England. These are sited either at BG depots or at bus or local authority premises. Once you’ve found a source, obtaining fuel is a simple process of logging on with a conventional Triscan key, connecting the pipe and pressing a button. A tank of gas takes around the same time to buy as a tank of diesel. The alternative is to install your own plant to pressurise gas taken from the domestic supply. Various types are available, starting with the Fuelmaker, a washing machine-sized device for home use and overnight refuelling, or you can have an industrial-sized installation suitable for a busy transport depot.