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                     NEWS RELEASE FROM THE
                 CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
MARCH 1,1995                            BOB ALDRICH - 916-654-4993


          Crown Victoria NGV Joins Commission Fleet


SACRAMENTO -- One of the automobile industry's reigning "monarchs"
has joined the California Energy Commission's fleet.  A Ford Crown
Victoria LTD fueled by compressed natural gas joins a fleet of 
more than 20 alternative fuel vehicles that Energy Commission 
members and staff use to conduct state business.

The Crown Victoria Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) is on a one-year loan
from Southern California Gas Company to demonstrate the use of the
clean-burning fuel in regular fleet applications.

The keys for the vehicle were given to Chairman Charles Imbrecht 
during a brief ceremony at the Energy Commission's Business 
Meeting March 1.

"We're excited to have this vehicle for our agency's daily use," 
said Chairman Imbrecht. "Many fleets are realizing that clean-
burning natural gas is a competitive and economic alternative to 
gasoline in our transportation sector.  We look forward to using 
this vehicle to learn more about how natural gas will meet our 
state's future needs."

Delivering the vehicle to the Commission's Sacramento headquarters
was The Gas Company's governmental affairs representative Lawrence
Erkie. 

"Natural gas has tremendous benefits for government and private 
fleets," said Erkie. "It is less expensive than gasoline and 
produces up to 90 percent less emissions than gasoline.  It's a 
win-win situation for fleets."

Natural gas was recently made a fuel option on the 1995 model year
Crown Victoria LTD. The Crown Victoria being used by the 
Commission is a 1993 model year vehicle that has already been used
extensively throughout Southern California as part of The Gas 
Company's demonstration and marketing programs for natural gas as 
a vehicle fuel. 

The vehicle's four natural gas storage cylinders contain 12 therms
of natural gas that are compressed to about 3,000 pounds per 
square inch.  This is equivalent to roughly 12 gallons of 
gasoline, giving the vehicle a range of about 216 miles.  

The dual-fuel vehicle can also run on gasoline.  With a capacity 
of up to 18 gallons in its gasoline tank and storage cylinders, 
the car, counting its natural gas miles gets a combined range of
about 500 miles.

The vehicle will be fueled at one of the four natural gas fueling 
facilities in Sacramento, with the cooperation of Pacific Gas and 
Electric Company.  There are currently 124 public and private 
natural gas fueling facilities in the state, including 78 that are
open to the public.



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For more information contact:

Denise King, Southern California Gas Company, 213-244-3030
Bob Aldrich, California Energy Commission, 916-543-4993



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File name: 1995_03_01_Crown Victoria_NG