A John o’Groats-Land’s End record could be on the cards today, with an attempt by a super-truck to make the journey on a single tank of liquefied natural gas.
The vehicle sets off from the Seaview Hotel in Wick at 6.30am.
The challenge is being promoted as “an important milestone for alternative fuels” amid claims that natural gas is the “only serious alternative fuel with prospects for widespread use.”
In terms of engine performance, the Stralis NP is said to be the most sustainable international transport truck yet built, delivering the same power and torque output as its diesel equivalent.
Iveco currently operates 16,000 vehicles including 5,800 dedicated to public transport.
The lorry, which will stop off briefly in Inverness, is scheduled to reach Land’s End tomorrow afternoon.
It is the first natural gas truck specifically designed for long-haul operations – and the only one that can run on compressed or liquid natural gas, or a blend of the two, to deliver such a power rating for long-distance trips.
The vehicle is claimed to generate 17% more power and 6% more torque than its nearest competitor.
It has a 12-speed automated gearbox that is said to lower fuel consumption.
And the truck runs on “clean fuel” that makes it accessible to towns and cities with increasingly stringent noise and emission limits.
Iveco president Pierre Lahutte said: “We were the first manufacturer in the world of commercial transport to understand, in 1991, the potential of natural gas. The Stralis NP builds on our extensive expertise to take a step into the future.
“It’s the first true long-haul gas truck in the market that offers an alternative to diesel vehicles and the most sustainable long-distance transport truck ever.”
The driver’s cab is claimed to be the biggest and most comfortable of all gas trucks.