Filed under: Truck, Technology, Work, Chevrolet, Off-Road



Using compressed natural gas as vehicle fuel has a number of inherent advantages - it's cleaner and more affordable, meaning that for people with fleets of vehicles to manage (companies, municipalities and the like), the alternative fuel can mean big savings and a clearer conscience.

To accommodate this growing segment, Chevrolet has announced a bi-fuel conversion kit for its Silverado 2500 HD and 3500 HD pickups that will allow them to operate on either gasoline or compressed natural gas at the flip of a switch. The conversion will be available on all bodystyles, although a dually option won't be available for 3500 HD buyers.

Chevy says the 6.0-liter V8 should churn out 301 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque running on CNG, compared to 360 ponies and 380 lb-ft on petrol. Regardless of fuel source, towing capacity remains at 13,000 pounds when properly equipped. While it's easy to jump on the CNG model for its lower power output and spacial penalties for the CNG tank, natural gas is over 60-percent cheaper than gasoline as of this writing. According to Chevy, that's enough to allow a CNG-powered work truck that covers 26,000 miles per year to save its operators over $2,000 if natural gas is used 75-percent of the time. When taken in tandem, the bi-fuel trucks should have a range of up to 650 miles.

2500 HD double cabs and crew cabs are available at dealers now, while regular cabs and all 3500 HDs should hit dealers in July. There's no mention of pricing for the conversion at this point. Hop below for the official press release from Chevrolet.
Continue reading 2015 Chevy Silverado HD gets CNG option

2015 Chevy Silverado HD gets CNG option originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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