Chicago – Chevrolet announced today that it will offer compressed natural gas-capable versions of its new 2015 Silverado heavy duty pickups.
CNG tanks are installed in reinforced compartments located at the fronts of the beds that allow the trucks to run on either natural gas or gasoline at the press of a button.
Available in both HD2500 and HD3500 versions of the Silverado in all cab configurations, the system uses a 6.0-liter V8 engine rated at 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque when running on gasoline, and 301 hp and 333 lb-ft on CNG. The two fuels provide a maximum range of 650 miles and the trucks can be optioned up to a 13,000-pound tow rating.
Chevy hasn’t detailed what the effect on fuel economy is, but with CNG prices hovering at a national average of about $2.00 per gallon equivalent it estimates that a typical operator could save over $2,000 per year on fuel if they run their truck on natural gas 75 percent of the time.
Although the CNG systems are installed by outside suppliers, all components are fully warranted by Chevrolet and the trucks are sold through its dealers.
Chevy did not reveal pricing, but a similar CNG option was available in the last generation Silverado HD for around $11,000.