Propane Powered Vehicles to “SADI” Alt Fuel Vehicle Initiative

The Clean Cities Southeast AFV Demonstration Initiative (SADI) brought its multi-fuel message to Clinton, TN, last week. The event was located where the Anderson County government resides in Tennessee, a town north of Knoxville. The multi-state vehicle demonstration program, complete with vehicles, driver education, and marketing strategies, incorporates partners such as Alliance AutoGas, ICOM, Mainstay Fuel Technologies, Penske, and others.

Clean Cities and Fuels Coalitions throughout South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee are working with partners to provide opportunities for fleets to experience and demo a wide range of alternative fuel vehicles in new and existing industry fleet sectors. Alliance AutoGas provided a Ford Transit Van to the SADI demonstration, as well as a Ford F-150 and an Explorer Interceptor –  all powered by propane autogas. They were test driven both at the demonstration site and remained in Clinton for their county and municipal fleets to drive for the week.

“Alliance AutoGas is excited about our continued relationship with East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition   and Tennessee Clean Fuels (www.TNCleanFuels.org) as we work closely with them on the SADI demonstration project,” notes Tim N. Clark, Director of Sales, Alliance AutoGas. “The efforts of Jonathan Overly and Melissa Goldberg of the coalition were key in getting our three Alliance AutoGas demonstration vehicles into the hands of fleet decision makers in East Tennessee.”

The SADI project focuses on non-existent or under-utilized markets for compressed natural gas and propane in the transportation sector, targeting applications such as school class 8 fleets, smaller delivery vehicles, state/local government, and commuter vehicles.  The project seeks to reach both a considerable number of drivers and fleet operators and to ensure that adequate fueling infrastructure is in place to allow for continued use after the project ends.

From left to right: Scott Smith – Anderson County Service Technician; Happy Fox – Alliance AutoGas Alternative Fuel Consultant; Kayla Manning – Anderson County Shop Manager and Admin. Assistant; John Vickery – Anderson County Director of Motor Pool; Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank; Johnny Golden – Anderson County School System; Tim Clark – Alliance AutoGas Director of Sales; Jessica Johnson – Alliance AutoGas Sales Coordinator; Melissa Goldberg – East TN Clean Fuels Coalition Project Manager