Expanding its range of light-duty trucks powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), General Motors will bring to market a CNG bi-fuel commercial pickup truck “early in the fourth quarter” of next year.
According to the OEM, the new offering will “help satisfy a broader range of needs for commercial customers looking for a one-stop alternative fuel vehicle from the factory. This allows business owners to spend more time focusing on their business instead of the complexities associated with vehicle up-fitting.”
“Customers want a choice when it comes to fuel because it helps them manage their business costs,” said Brian Small, gm of GM Fleet & 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.”
Small noted that GM is the only manufacturer currently providing a single-source commercial option with its Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana CNG-powered cargo vans.
“GM’s original equipment is engineered, validated and warranted which makes the decision to purchase our bi-fuel pick-up trucks easy,” added Joyce Mattman, director of GM Commercial Product & Specialty Vehicles. “Like our CNG vans, this turnkey product will be the best solution in the market and makes good business sense.”
The bi-fuel commercial pickup 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. The truck will meet all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission certification requirements, according to GM.
IMPCO Automotive is the Tier-One supplier that will integrate the CNG bi-fuel delivery and storage system into the pickups alongside the Express and Savana CNG-dedicated cargo vans at its own facility in Union City, IN.