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The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is famous for its stunning landscape, rich history, and breathtaking mansion. Visitors to this popular tourist destination may not realize that the Biltmore is heavily invested in environmental initiatives and one of its largest in its fleet.
“I believe that the mission statement we created while we were writing our Biltmore Fleet Sustainability Plan and Guidelines will answer what’s most important to our fleet,” said Shane Williams, fleet manager. That statement says, “Our mission is to ensure the safety and comfort of our employees and guests while creating a fleet that is environmentally responsible, cost-effective, and socially responsible, through the implementation of sustainable transportation practices and technologies, to minimize our environmental impact and reduce our operating costs.”
Biltmore Chooses Propane Autogas
Since 2012, propane autogas bi-fuel vehicles have played a large role in Biltmore’s eco-friendly transportation strategy. “We have chosen to use propane for several reasons. Propane is a cleaner-burning alternative fuel with a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to other fuels,” Williams said. “In addition to being environmentally friendly, it also offers considerable cost savings per gallon and in maintenance costs for our vehicles.”
Propane autogas helps Biltmore meet its emissions goals. As an approved clean alternative fuel under the Clean Air Act, propane is nontoxic and is safe for groundwater and soil. These qualities are critical for the historic estate, which operates a vineyard, gardens, forests, wildlife habitats, and farmland. It can also produce significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions than diesel, gasoline , and electricity in a wide range of applications.
Additionally, Biltmore’s use of propane autogas within their fleet is helping to reduce fuel expenses. Propane autogas is less expensive compared with gasoline or diesel on a per-gallon basis. It also reduces maintenance-related expenses due to a lower frequency of engine issues that often arise with conventional fuels. In FY24, the estate realized $116,000 in total fuel cost savings compared with FY23. And because propane autogas is cleaner than gasoline and diesel, it can result in a longer engine life for the vehicles.
Biltmore’s Bi-fuel Fleet
The prominent estate’s fleet includes 27 propane autogas bi-fuel vehicles which provide shuttle services to thousands of visitors to sites throughout the 8,000-acre estate each year.
“The majority of our propane bi-fuel vehicles are used for guest transportation and the rest are used in various departments,” Williams said. The bi-fuel fleet consists of 19 Ford F-53 and E-450 chassis that are guest trolleys and shuttles. Two Ford Transit Wagons are used as employee passenger vans, and six Ford F-150s are used in horticulture, housekeeping, engineering, security, and farm operations for the stunning preserve.
Onsite Fueling Infrastructure
In 2012, Biltmore installed its propane fueling station when it received its first bi-fuel vehicles. Alliance AutoGas installed the original facility. “We already had an established relationship with our local vendor, Blossman Gas/Alliance AutoGas,” Williams said. “Their infrastructure, training, and technical support made the decision [to adopt propane autogas] even more logical.”
The fueling station includes a 1,000-gallon fuel tank, which is soon to be replaced with a larger capacity tank. “We are receiving several deliveries [of propane] a week now,” Williams said. “So, we just want to keep up with the demand.”
According to Williams, having onsite refueling has helped the estate avoid downtime and inefficiencies that would have resulted from traveling off-site to refuel.
Future Alternative Fuel Adoption
Biltmore plans to continue its pursuit of sustainable transportation into the future. Every new vehicle acquisition will be analyzed to ensure that it is suitable for an alternative fuel-powered version. Williams added that Biltmore will keep incorporating propane autogas along with electric cars and B20 biodiesel to continue developing the fleet’s diversification and stay aligned with the estate’s sustainability plan.
A Word for Fleet Managers
For fleet managers considering propane autogas, Williams shared his advice. “Reach out to other fleets that have successful alternative fuel programs and ask about the advantages and disadvantages. Ensure that there will be support available. We are lucky to have a propane partner located just a few miles away,” he said. “Is there ongoing training and technical support available? We can call our contacts at any time. Also, we have five in-house technicians who are certified to install, repair, and maintain our propane autogas systems.”
Biltmore’s decision to operate propane autogas bi-fuel vehicles across multiple departments shows how an organization can achieve sustainability while remaining efficient and profitable.
