Dallas, Texas (April 2, 2012) — BAF, a wholly owned subsidiary of Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE), today announced the company has received CARB (California Air Resources Board) Executive Orders (EO) for its CNG-powered 2012 Ford F-Series 250/350 pickups and E-Series 250/350 vans.
The CARB EOs allow the vehicles to be sold and operated in California, the state with the most stringent emissions control rules, effective immediately, as well as in sixteen other states that follow CARB rules. In effect, the CNG-fueled Ford F-Series 250/350 pickups and E-Series 250/350 vans will now be available in all 50 states.
F-Series 250/350 pickups are a popular choice for fleet operators, particularly on the Eastern seaboard. Many of these states have opted to apply CARB standards to natural gas vehicles. BAF is the first CNG converter in the country to achieve CARB certification for its F-Series pickups.
The CNG-powered BAF E-250/350 vans —already in wide use by service providers like AT&T and Super Shuttle — have been CARB-certified since 2007. The new CARB EO extends the certification to include the 2012 model year.
“Our new CARB certifications provide an important opportunity for BAF as we continue to supply CNG vehicles to fleets of all types. We believe no other company in the market has made the investments in quality that we have,” said John Bacon, BAF president.
“We continue to ensure that every aspect of our company is positioned to serve our existing customers as well as the growing market demand for vehicles powered by clean, domestic, cost-efficient CNG fuel,” he added.
In addition to the F-Series 250/350 pickups and E-250/350 vans, BAF has CARB EOs for the 2012 F-450/550/650 utility body, the F-53/59 commercial chassis, the E-450 shuttle, and the Ford Transit Connect. Also for 2012, BAF has EPA certifications for all of these vehicles as well as the bifuel CNG E-250/350 vans and F-250/350 pickups.
“With our broad CARB and EPA-approved line-up of seven product families, BAF has emerged as the leading provider of quality-tested, CNG-powered fleet vehicles in the industry,” Bacon said.
BAF is the first CNG converter recognized as a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) for gaseous fuel. Further, the company uses Ford-accredited QCM (Quality Calibrations Modifier) calibrations and all vehicles converted by BAF are registered through Ford QFC (Quality Fleet Care) for all warranty and service work through Ford dealerships. Finally, BAF takes the extra step of crash testing its light-duty vehicle products to achieve FMVSS 303 compliance.
BAF has recently leased a new 91,000-square-foot facility in Dallas to house its expanding headquarters, R&D and service facility there. It has a network of 65 Ford dealers across the country certified to service the company’s CNG conversions.
Currently priced up to $1.50 or more per gallon lower than diesel or gasoline (depending upon local markets), the use of natural gas fuels reduces greenhouse gas emissions up to 30% in light-duty vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that 98% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. is sourced in the U.S. and Canada, making natural gas a secure North American energy choice.
BAF Technologies is the leading provider of natural gas vehicle systems and conversions in the United States and supports clients with alternative fuel systems. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, BAF was acquired by Clean Energy in October 2009. BAF’s alternative fuel vehicle up-fitting capabilities include aftermarket compressed natural gas (CNG) conversions of Ford-manufactured vans, cutaway shuttles, taxis, pick-ups and light-duty trucks. www.BAFtechnologies.com
Clean Energy (Nasdaq: CLNE) is the largest provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America and a global leader in the expanding natural gas vehicle fueling market. We have operations in compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicle fueling; construction and operation of natural gas fueling stations; compressor equipment and technology; biomethane production; and vehicle conversion. We fuel over 530 fleet customers and 25,000 vehicles daily at more than 273 strategic locations across the country with a broad customer base in the refuse, transit, trucking, shuttle, taxi, airport and municipal fleet markets.
We are building America’s Natural Gas Highway™, a network of LNG truck fueling stations connecting major freight trucking corridors across the country for coast-to-coast and border-to-border natural gas truck fueling.
IMW Industries, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary, is a global supplier of compressed natural gas equipment for vehicle fueling and industrial applications with more than 1,400 installations in 26 countries. NorthStar, a wholly owned subsidiary, is the recognized leader in LNG/LCNG (liquefied to compressed natural gas) fueling system technologies and equipment, station construction and operations. It has built approximately 70% of the LNG fueling stations in the United States. BAF Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, is a leading provider of natural gas vehicle systems and conversions for taxis, vans, pick-up trucks and shuttle buses. It has converted more than 15,000 vehicles. With a full line of Ford fleet vehicles, BAF is the first gaseous Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) designated by Ford Motor Company. Clean Energy Renewable Fuels (CERF), a wholly owned subsidiary, is developing renewable natural gas (RNG) or biomethane production facilities in the United States. CERF owns (70%) and operates a landfill gas facility in Dallas, Texas that produces RNG for delivery in the nation’s gas pipeline network for power generation and transportation fuel. CERF is building a second facility in Canton, Michigan, and has contracted for a third in North Shelby, Tennessee. We own and operate LNG production plants in Willis, Texas and Boron, California with combined capacity of 260,000 LNG gallons per day and that are designed to expand to 340,000 LNG gallons per day as demand increases. For more information, visit www.cleanenergyfuels.com
Forward-Looking Statements — This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including statements about the benefits of natural gas relative to diesel fuel and the availability of CNG-fueled trucks and vans. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including, but not limited to the price per gallon of natural gas fuel relative to diesel and gasoline. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless otherwise required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Additionally, the reports and other documents the Company files with the SEC (available at www.sec.gov) contain risk factors, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this news release.