Clean Air Partners and the City of Los Angeles Make U.S. Municipal Truck Fleet History.

Business Editors & Automotive/Environmental Writers

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 3, 2002

Clean Air Partners (CAP), a leader in the development and commercialization of high-tech solutions to reduce engine emissions, and the City of Los Angeles (L.A.) have just made history by creating the largest fleet of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) municipal refuse trucks in the United States.

Last year, L.A. put Clean Air Partners' Dual-Fuel(TM) technology to the test when it ordered 10 trucks powered by CAP's proprietary and patented Dual-Fuel systems. One year later, with the original 10 trucks still in operation, L.A. decided to expand the size of its alternative fuel fleet by ordering an additional 120 trucks equipped with CAP Dual-Fuel technology engines. The resulting 130-unit fleet will be the largest LNG-powered municipal refuse truck fleet in the United States.

This move makes the City of L.A. the leader in the effort to improve the region's air quality by reducing vehicular exhaust emissions.

Based on the new order, CAP will deliver 120 Caterpillar C10 on-highway truck engines equipped with its patented Dual-Fuel technology, through Caterpillar dealers Power Systems Associates (PSA) and Rush Peterbilt of Pico Rivera. L.A.'s 120 new trucks will be equipped with the Caterpillar C10 engines, which produce 315 brake horsepower (bhp) and 1,050 Foot/Pounds (ft.-lb.) of torque. While burning 85 percent natural gas (for power) and only 15 percent diesel fuel (as a liquid spark plug), CAP's Dual-Fuel technology engines provide up to a 50 percent reduction in emissions without sacrificing diesel-like performance.

CAP Sales Manager Mark Hunsberger said, "We're excited to be launching this expansion, which is the result of a partnership that developed over the last three years with several City of Los Angeles departments."

L.A.'s original 10 trucks currently rely on mobile fueling. However, plans are underway for a permanent LNG station to be located in the city's San Fernando Valley area.

Clean Air Partners is no stranger to large alternative fuel fleets. The world's largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet, which utilizes CAP Dual-Fuel engines, operates in Mexico City. The 480-unit fleet of refuse-collection vehicles, which service Mexico City daily, is setting an environmental precedence for the rest of the country. The vehicles have been in continual operation since May of 1999. Currently, the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) supplier is adding a third filling station to increase the fueling options for the vehicles.

Clean Air Partners was founded in 1991 to develop technologies that would allow diesel engines to operate with the low emissions benefits of natural gas while retaining the power, efficiency, longevity and cost effectiveness of compression ignition engines. CAP offers time-proven products, which are based on its patented proprietary technologies. About 1,300 heavy-duty truck engines that have been retrofitted with CAP Dual-Fuel(TM) systems and products are currently deployed in the United States, Mexico and various European countries. CAP's sub-components are used in low emission vehicles produced by some of the world's largest automotive and truck manufacturers. CAP is currently developing innovative low emission Electric Power Generation products for the distributed generation market.