Supplier IMPCO Automotive will handle conversions of GM vans and pickups to use low-cost, cleaner CNG.
It’s a good week for those who’d like to see American motorists shift from imported oil to the plentiful domestic supply of natural gas. Chrysler plans to announce today that it will offer an NGV option for its big Ram pickup – following the lead of General Motors which will offer bi-fuel packages for both its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.
Momentum has slowly been growing for natural gas power after years of neglect. That appears to reflect several factors – notably the increased availability of the fuel from domestic sources, the fact that CNG produces less CO2 per mile than petroleum products, and the rapidly rising cost of gasoline.
Until recently, Honda was the only maker marketing natural gas-powered vehicles – notably a dedicated version of the 2012 Civic model. But the list could grow rapidly – though the biggest challenge remains finding ready locations to fill up.
That’s led GM to go the bi-fuel route with the heavy-duty versions of its Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. Motorists will be able to choose between CNG and regular gasoline on the fly. When one tank runs dry they’ll be able to hot a switch and keep going, something that should be doubly appealing to work truck users who want to hold down costs but avoid service disruptions.
One of the rare public CNG filling stations near L.A.
“Customers want a choice when it comes to fuel because it helps them manage their business costs,” said Brian Small, general manager, GM Fleet and Commercial Operations. “We listened and we are going to move fast to bring a bi-fuel CNG product to market to meet our customer’s needs.”
Chrysler is expected to take the same bi-fuel route when it announces its own CNG truck, based on the big Ram pickup, later today. The smallest of the Detroit makers is planning to produce at least 2,000 of the vehicles annually.
There is expected to be a premium, likely several thousand dollars, for the bi-fuel conversions, though a GM official indicated a typical work truck user might be able to save as much as $6,000 to $10,000 annually by relying on CNG instead of gasoline.
“Like our CNG vans, this turnkey product will be the best solution in the market and makes good business sense,” said Joyce Mattman, director, GM Commercial Product and Specialty Vehicles.
GM already produces a pair of full-size trucks using CNG – the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana – but those are single fuel models and have been targeted at fleet users who are more likely to have access to a dedicated pumping station.
There are reportedly less than 1,000 sites, in all, to fill up, many of those not available to the public, which has limited the potential and appeal of the fuel despite its potential advantages. On the other hand, proponents note that a vehicle owner could readily set up a pumping system to take advantage of a home or small office natural gas supply.
Nonetheless, according to government and industry data there are no more than about 150,000 CNG-powered vehicles on U.S. roads right now, a pittance compared to the 2.7 million in use in Pakistan, which has the global lead, according to the International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles. Iran follows, with 1.95 million as of 2011, with Argentina close behind with 1.9 million vehicles running on CNG.
In the U.S., as in much of the world, CNG is particularly popular with municipal transportation fleets because it is markedly cleaner – and less costly – than diesel or gasoline.
Taxis in some U.S. cities have also migrated to CNG – whether to lower costs or because of local mandates. But the other downside to the fuel is that it is far less dense than gasoline, requiring fairly large tanks to match the range of a comparable gasoline vehicle. That, in turn, reduces cargo capacity.
That is less of a problem on large vehicles, which is why GM and Chrysler appear to be betting that the clean, lower-cost fuel will prove appealing as a bi-fuel option on models like the Ram and Silverado pickups.
Combining the 17 gallons of CNG and 36 gallons of gasoline its new bi-fuel models can store, a Silverado or Sierra owner will have a potential range of 650 miles, GM officials noted, something that they hope will further enhance the trucks’ appeal.
For those who want to use CNG on other products there are a number of private companies that can handle conversions — and there are a few makers of specialty vehicles, such as Florida-based VPG, which offers a natural gas package on the special vehicle it has developed for the mobility-challenged.