BBK President Xabier Sagredo visited our facilities in Amorebieta (Bizkaia) this morning, at the AIC in Boroa, where we have a production cell for engines powered by AutoGas for use in vehicles dedicated to heavy urban transport.
During the event, the first units of the only engine powered 100% by AutoGas, Euro VI-D liquid injection, were presented, intended to move buses and trucks, with lower CO2 emissions than the most modern diesel engines.
With the mass production of these engines, we are advancing in our commitment to industrialisation in Bizkaia, after the capital increase last July in which BBK became a new partner in the company. The synergy with BeGas is part of the strategy of the banking foundation, owner of 57% of Kutxabank, to promote the economy in the territory through its investment activity in innovative companies.
“At BBK we are committed to initiatives that promote comprehensive sustainable development and we work to support our industrial and business fabric. In this sense, we are convinced that our project with BeGas will provide a new boost to the automotive sector and also to that of Bizkaia, with sustainable and prosperous innovation that will boost employment in the region,” said Xabier Sagredo, president of BBK.
For his part, Pedro Silva, CEO of BeGas, highlighted “its intention to double the workforce in Bizkaia to achieve a production of 125 engines in 2021 and, in 2022, half a thousand engines powered by ecological fuels; thus contributing to the environment, the circular economy and the ecological transition in a fair, inclusive and efficient way.”
Engines with economic and environmental advantages
The BeGas AVG liquid gas engine has Euro VI Step D approval, the most advanced in the EU for combustion equipment, and during the event, BeGas officials highlighted that it offers clear environmental and economic advantages. The cost of LPG is lower, it is supplied at petrol stations and allows, for example, an urban waste collection fleet to save up to 36% on its fuel costs.
“This type of engine also allows a drastic reduction in emissions compared to Euro VI regulations: 51% in CO levels, 22% in PN levels, 57% in Nox levels, 29% in PM10 levels and 87% in HC levels,” said BeGas CEO Pedro Silva. Also, “CO2 emissions are 15% below the most advanced equivalent diesel engines,” he said.
Each of our units, more compact than conventional engines, offers a longer life for the bearings and piston rings, thanks to a better flow of coolant and cooling directed at the pistons, which achieves greater reliability and durability.
Due to its characteristics and performance, the AVG architecture is compatible with the main transmissions on the market, which allows these engines to be installed in trucks and urban buses, thus obtaining the DGT Eco environmental badge.
At BeGas we will continue to develop new engines powered by alternative fuels thanks to our technological knowledge, in line with the needs of the urban transport sector.
