Chevrolet, GMC price bi-fuel pickups $11,000 above suggested base-vehicle price

Chevrolet and GMC extended cab heavy-duty pickup trucks with a bi-fuel option will sell for $11,000 above the suggested base-vehicle price. Fleet and retail customers can place orders for the 2013Ú Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra 2500 HD beginning 19 April.

The pickups, which run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and gasoline, have a Vortec 6.0L V8 engine that seamlessly transitions between the two fuel systems. A single light-weight Type 3 tank in the bed maximizes available payload and bed space, offering more usable space than competitors.

The Silverado HD and Sierra 2500 HD offer customers fueling flexibility with a combined CNG and gasoline range of more than 650 miles—the longest range available in the bi-fuel truck market.

The pickups will be available in standard and long-box, two-or-four-wheel drive in the extended cab models, offering customization for specific needs.

CNG has maintained a significantly lower retail price than either gasoline or diesel. The current average price of CNG is equivalent to $1.89 per gallon of gasoline. Customers could save $5,000 to $10,000 over a three-year period, depending on their driving habits.

—Joyce Mattman, director, GM Commercial Product and Specialty Vehicles

The bi-fuel trucks will be covered by GM’s three-year, 36,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty and five-year, 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and vehicle emissions warranty, meeting all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission certification requirements.

The entire manufacturer-backed gaseous fuel system in the vehicles meets GM’s strict quality, durability, safety testing and is covered under the extensive warranty. The trucks are built in Fort Wayne, Ind., and then sent to the Tier One supplier for installation of the CNG bi-fuel delivery and storage system.



Source: Green Car Congress