January 25, 2022. For the first 11 months of 2021, US and Canadian Class 8 natural gas truck retail sales rose 3% year-to-date against increasingly difficult comparisons of the same time period in 2020, as published in the quarterly report recently released by ACT Research. For context, total US Class 8 sales were up 16% for the same period.
The ACT Alternative Fuels Quarterly (AFQ) provides insight, analysis, and trends about alternative fuel/power adoption for the US heavy and medium duty commercial vehicle markets. It is designed to give quick insights to anyone with an interest in the evolution of power and alternative fuel use for heavy vehicles. The AFQ details such adoption considerations as fuel prices, fuel/charging infrastructure development, equipment prices/products/technological developments, and regulatory changes. NG truck sales data and a forecast for new natural gas adoption are included.
“Sales of NG-powered vehicles as reported by the six major truck OEMs, who account for approximately 60% of the heavy-duty natural gas market, were mixed in the September to November time period, with September enjoying a small y/y gain, but October and November losing ground,” said Steve Tam, Vice President at ACT Research. He continued, “In the near term, September saw a middling sequential gain, while October sank before sales jumped m/m in November. Combined, sales in the three-month period diluted year-to-date gains meaningfully, a pattern that started in July.”
Tam added, “Besides sales, the Alternative Fuels Quarterly analyzes the change in existing and planned alternative fuel/power infrastructure and equipment developments. We’re seeing an overall increase in electric charging stations, both existing and planned, but a continuing decline of total natural gas stations, particularly those planned for the future. That said, we still see articles about natural gas use in transportation, as well as discussions about hydrogen fuel cells and investments, but the overwhelming amount of trade-industry headlines this quarter seemed to focus on electric commercial vehicle development.”