AUGUSTA, GA (Aug. 20, 2007) – As the world’s largest producer of zero- emission electric vehicles, Club Car was a leader among environmentally conscious companies long before green became the most popular color in corporate America. Recently Club Car added a new element (literally) to its efforts to promote sustainable environmental practices – nitrogen.
Nitrogen, a colorless, odorless gas that forms 80 percent of the earth’s atmosphere by volume, is now used to inflate tires on Club Car’s Precedent golf cars and Villager 4 hospitality vehicles. The move to nitrogen is the latest example of Club Car’s innovative technology applied to golf course operations.
"Nitrogen improves fuel economy, promotes longer tire life and is friendlier to the environment than compressed air," said Mike Packer, vice president of Worldwide Sales for Club Car. "It helps our customers operate more efficiently and responsibly." The benefits of nitrogen will be extended to other vehicles in the Club Car line in future model years, Packer added.
Generators developed by the Industrial Technologies sector of Club Car parent company Ingersoll Rand use what’s known as membrane technology to pump nitrogen into tires. The nitrogen technology is an example of Ingersoll Rand’s enterprise-wide movement to reduce energy consumption and decrease harmful environmental emissions.
"Ingersoll Rand is committed to investing in solutions that deliver environmental benefits," said Herb Henkel, chairman, president and CEO of the diversified industrial company. Henkel recently was named to the advisory council of The Environmental Institute for Golf, a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities to strengthen the compatibility of golf and the environment.
While NASCAR, NASA and several branches of the military have used nitrogen to inflate high-performance tires for years, Club Car is the first company to use nitrogen to inflate tires on an assembly line and bring its benefits to the golf course.
Mark Langner, director of agronomy and applied research at FarmLinks in Sylacauga, Ala., said he’s been impressed with early test results of the nitrogen system. "We’re seeing more consistency with air pressure in all of our vehicles, including tractor and truck tires," he said.
Nitrogen addresses the single biggest reason for tire failure – fluctuating pressure. "Because nitrogen diffuses 30 to 40 percent slower than oxygen in compressed air, it doesn’t permeate the tire wall and cause the tire to lose pressure," said Ryan Lang, a solutions manager for Ingersoll Rand. Maintaining tire pressure can boost fuel economy by as much as six percent, Lang added.
Nitrogen also disperses heat more quickly than ambient air, which promotes a cooler running tire and extended tread life. In studies of commercial truck fleets, tire life has been increased by up to 26 percent when tires are filled with nitrogen rather than compressed air. Eliminating most of the oxygen in the tire also reduces the chance of oxidation, which can lead to rusting and aging rims and the degradation of internal components.
Club Car’s nitrogen tire inflation systems are available through the company’s aftermarket department. The systems are easily connected to a compressed air supply by Club Car or Ingersoll Rand personnel. Club Car, a business of Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited, a diversified industrial firm, Honors the Game as the exclusive premier partner of the National Golf Course Owners Association and a sponsor of the European Golf Course Owners Association. It is the Official Supplier of Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles to the 2010 Ryder Cup, the Official Golf Car and Golf Utility Vehicle and an Official Sponsor of the PGA European Tour, the official supplier of golf cars and utility vehicles to PGA Tournament Players Clubs, a presenting sponsor of The PGA Professional National Championship and 41 Section Professional Championships and a leading sponsor of The First Tee and the Executive Women’s Golf Association.
About Club Car
Club Car provides fleet, turf, hospitality and financing solutions for golf, agricultural, recreational and industrial markets. For more information on Club Car, go to www.clubcar.com. Based inAugusta, Ga., Club Car is part of the Compact Vehicle Technologies Sector of Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited. Ingersoll Rand is a diversified industrial company providing products, services and integrated solutions to industries ranging from transportation and manufacturing to food retailing, construction, and agriculture. With a 135-year-old heritage of technological innovation, Ingersoll Rand helps companies worldwide to be more productive, efficient and innovative. For more information, please visit www.ingersollrand.com.
Contact:
Bill Bryant
Bryant Marketing Communications
2910 Gleneagles Pointe
Alpharetta, Georgia 30005
678-366-3232
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
www.bryantmarcomm.com
