THE DRIVER
Page 17
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• Ian Coleman has driven BOC's gas trucks for several years, including the CNG-fuelled EC12 that CM has tested against a diesel version (CM 19 December 1996-1 January 1997). But he's more impressed by the latest version, which has a snappier gearchange thanks to a 171b-lighter flywheel. The truck also exhibits sharp throttle response, and solid pulling power on the motorway: "At 29-30 tonnes," he reports, "she'll come up hills like they're not there."
The 320hp engine "runs more like a 360" because of its low-down torque, and the green band stretches from 1,2001,60Orpm, but it revs easily enough to hit the 1,900rpm ignition cutout.
Fuelling is no problem: after half-an-hour's training, Ian can refuel the 400-litre tank from empty in four minutes. "Because we already work with liquid nitrogen it's just the next step," he says.
But the thing that could make this truck a hit is the low noise level: "You don't have to have your radio blaring like you do in a diesel."