2013 Chevy, GMC Natural Gas Bi-Fuel Pickup trucks Announced General Motors announced today it will offer bi-fuel versions of its 2013 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks that run either on gasoline or natural gas. Today, there are fewer than 1,000 natural-gas fueling stations in the U. The pickups are fitted with a 6. 0-liter V-8 engine that is modified to switch seamlessly between burning compressed natural gas, or CNG, and gasoline. The trucks run on natural gas as standard, then switch to gasoline when the CNG runs out (or if the driver pushes a button to do so). Natural gas-powered vehicles have lower emissions, producing about 25 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) per mile than those running on gasoline. The fuel is plentiful and domestically produced, with 98 percent of U. Last year, it began offering versions of its Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans with both compressed natural gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) powered engines to fleet and commercial clients. Unlike the new pickup trucks announced today, however, those vans run solely on compressed gas, and do not offer the capability to switch to and from gasoline. Energy Information Administration, more than half open to the public. Stations are most prevalent in California, Oklahoma, New York, and Utah. Gas prices, San Francisco, CA Full GM warranty The trucks will be built at GM's pickup assembly plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and then trucked 70 miles to Union City, Indiana, where supplier IMPCO will add the gas storage tanks at the front of the bed as well as the fuel delivery system. , according to the U. Orders in April, deliveries Q4 Chevrolet and GMC will start taking orders next month for the dual-fuel pickups, with deliveries before the end of this year. Both trucks are available not only for fleet buyers, but also to retail clients. Neither brand has released pricing for the new flex-fuel trucks, but the company expects the trucks will provide "a quick return on investment" for their buyers, according to a GM spokesperson. "We worked with the Chevy Volt team on that, and saw the same issues" among clients who worried about running out of electricity. Both fuel systems can be serviced as standard factory equipment at the local Chevy or GMC dealer. GM offered natural-gas fueling options for certain vehicles from 1997 to 2006. The complete vehicle, including all the natural-gas equipment, is covered under the standard factory warranty, which covers the vehicle for three years/36,000 milesand the powertrain and emissions system for five years/100,000 miles. |