CNG-Powered Transamerica Tour 2010 Arrives in Los Angeles: Driving Across the World Without A Drop of Gasoline

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a great story and it helps to prove the viability of CNG (compressed natural gas) as an excellent substitute for gasoline. CNG is cheaper, it's cleaner, and we have an abundant supply right here in North America.

There's just one thing that puzzles us about this story: The vehicle being driven is a Volkswagen Caddy van (a terrific vehicle). Since VW's can be converted to CNG (and why wouldn't they be?), and it's clear that they can be fueled with relative ease, why aren't they being offered for sale in America? Hello, anyone home?

Press conference with Rainer Zietlow during his stop in Los Angeles on the longest Natural Gas Tour in the World

CENTURY CITY, CA: Legendary champion long-distance driver Rainer Zietlow will be available Thursday at the Century Plaza Hotel to provide an update on his quest to complete the “Panamericana” leg of the “EcoFuel-TransAmerica.” Zietlow will be traveling through Los Angeles, roughly the midpoint of his drive from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska, tomorrow. He is making this journey in a Volkswagen Caddy Maxi EcoFuel—a passenger van fueled completely by clean-burning compressed natural gas. Not one drop of petroleum-based gasoline will be used on this 15,534 mile journey.

The starter's gun fired on January 2, 2010, in Rio Grande/Argentina at the southernmost natural gas fuel station in the world. Zietlow and his team plan on reaching Barrow, Alaska on April 2, 2010, at the world's northernmost natural gas fuel station. Zietlow stops in Los Angeles to present his trip so far and the VW Caddy Maxi EcoFuel, the new “natural gas long-distance champion.”

The Landi Renzo Group is a global market leader in the design and manufacture of systems for liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas vehicles. Andrea Landi, President of Landi Renzo USA, will be available Thursday to discuss the growing future of natural gas vehicle technology.

The tour will be stopping in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 18th for a press conference. The event will take place at Transamerica Tour 2010 Makes a Pit Stop in Los Angeles the Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel at 10AM in the Private Dining Room 2 of the Breeze Restaurant. The street address is 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, CA 90067. Rainer Zietlow and the Transamerica Tour Team along with Andrea Landi, President, Landi Renzo USA Co. will be on hand.

For more information visit Eco-Fuel Transamerica at www.ecofuel-transamerica.com and Landi Renzo, www.landi.it