The Director of Mobility Projects at Naturgy, Alfonso del Río, and the Brand Country Manager at Fiat Professional, Raffele Brustia, signed a strategic agreement between the two companies earlier today aimed at promoting joint innovation projects and spreading the use of natural gas in the Spanish mobility sector.
This partnership will allow the power company and the car company to lead the growth and positioning of compressed natural gas (CNG) as an efficient and alternative fuel for transport.
Through this partnership, Naturgy and Fiat Professional will work in different sectors to introduce and market light commercial vehicles which run on gas.
On the one hand, through official Fiat Professional concessions, as the two companies will create a joint commercial offer for selling to companies with vehicle fleets, which will benefit cars and rental vehicle fuel, as well as guarantee energy supply through charging stations. It will also provide training to its salespeople, and the development of natural gas charging infrastructure will be analysed in its facilities.
On the other hand, Naturgy and Fiat Professional will promote knowledge of the advantages of compressed natural gas and fuel, as well as the range of commercial vehicles which run on gas that Fiat markets.
“This agreement is a good example of Naturgy’s concern with promoting sustainable mobility, both in the private sector and the professional sector. Natural gas as a fuel has been shown to be very competitive and has a key role in improving the air quality in cities”, stated Alfonso del Río, Director of Mobility Projects at Naturgy.
Raffele Brustia, Brand Country Manager at Fiat Professional, confirms “during recent years, FCA has been leading the development and application of natural gas as a clean, efficient and economical mobility solution. Now, after signing this agreement with Naturgy, we are sure that we can provide new impetus to our commitment and complete it with strong national infrastructure and a range of models, from passenger to freight transport”.
The advantages of this alternative fuel
Natural gas as a source of energy for vehicles offers both environmental and economic advantages, and represents an alternative to conventional fuels.
Firstly, it improves air quality in cities because it reduces up to 85% of the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and more than 95% of particulate matter, which are highly contaminating. In addition, it reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 30% and emits zero sulphur dioxide, which helps alleviate the greenhouse effect. In terms of noise pollution, vehicles running on natural gas produce 50% less noise and vibrations than those running on diesel.
Vehicles that use this fuel bear the ECO label by the Spanish Directorate-General of Traffic (DGT), allowing them to enjoy benefits including freedom of access to city centres at times when air pollution levels are high, as well as tax incentives and tax credits in regulated parking areas, among others.
As well as the environmental benefits, natural gas is very competitive from an economical point of view as it enables a saving of between 25% to 50% of fuel compared to a conventional vehicle which uses fuels like petrol or other gases such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
About Naturgy
Naturgy has around 18 million clients in more than 30 countries and is one of the leading multinational companies in the gas and electricity sector, making it the main natural gas distribution company in the Iberian peninsula. The company provides personalised solutions to its customers aimed at meeting their energy requirements while improving their competitiveness through innovation, a commitment to energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Naturgy is developing a plan to encourage mobility using natural gas as fuel. As part of this strategy, the company is planning significant investments to open gas refuelling stations in the next few months.
About Fiat Professional
With more than 100 years of experience and a unique heritage, Fiat Professional is the FCA brand focused on the light commercial vehicle market, offering a full range which has recently been renewed.
Fiat Professional offers a wide range of customised transport solutions to meet all business and leisure needs. Fiat Professional also offers a wide range of services and solutions for large and small companies. The Fiat Professional’s range of vehicles is versatile and reliable, designed to ensure the work of professionals. Within its versatile range, Ducato stands out. It established a new industrial standard when it was launched in 1981 and is now available in over 80 countries around the world. Ducato is the leader in the European market with more than 70% of the share in the leisure vehicle sector, where it has become the benchmark in its category.
