Alliance Autogas Prepping Propane Autogas Ford Fusion

Alliance Autogas will eventually offer a propane autogas-fueled 2017 Ford Fusion midsize sedan to fleet buyers, following the company's debut of the vehicle at a sustainability conference in North Carolina.

The Ashville-based Alliance Autogas showed a 2017 Fusion at the Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo from Aug. 22-23 at the Durham Convention Center. The vehicle is powered by an autogas-electric hybrid system that uses Ford's 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. The vehicle provides additional torque, reduced emissions, and improved fuel economy, according to the company.

The project could be a sign of things to come from the company, which is considering a similar system for the Ford F-150 that could be offered to fleet purchasers.

The system, which uses a series-parallel configuration, allows the engine and electric motor to work together to propel the vehicle.

"This vehicle is a precursor of many to come in the Ford family, and our company is committed to staying ahead of vehicle technology," said Stuart Weidie, president. "We want to provide autogas users with the best possible resources for reducing emissions and costs on the market."