Posted on 10/17/2013 6:06:17 AM PDT by thackney
Capitalizing on America’s abundant supply of clean-burning, low-cost natural gas, General Motors said Wednesday it will build a Chevrolet Impala sedan that can operate on either gasoline or compressed natural gas and travel up to 500 miles between fill-ups.
The bi-fuel Impala, which goes on sale summer as a 2015 model, could be the start of something big. Honda Motor has been selling a natural gas-powered Civic since 2011 and while still modest, sales have been steadily rising. The Japanese carmaker is on track to sell about 2,500 CNG Civics this year, up from 1,900 in 2012 and 1,200 the year before. In July, Ford Motor said its most popular vehicle, the F-150 pickup, will be offered with a compressed natural gas engine starting in the 2014 model year.
“Natural gas will grow increasingly attractive as an alternative fuel source, as we’ve seen each year with natural gas Honda Civic sales, particularly in areas like California where HOV lane access is available,” said Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. “The lack of infrastructure remains a hurdle, but if more automakers begin to offer CNG-powered vehicles, we could see a greater push for access to CNG in the years to come.”
The Impala’s bi-fuel powertrain is engineered to switch seamlessly from CNG to gasoline, which should reassure consumers worried about finding a place to refuel. For business fleet customers, whose drivers return to a central location, CNG refueling shouldn’t be a problem. GM did not announce the new car’s price, which is likely to be higher than the standard gas model, but savings at the pump could offset that extra payout quickly.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
And in an accident it will break into 500 pieces and go 500 feet in every direction.
Already well underway. I know a company that is doing quite well converting commercial fleets to run on LNG. Between the lower cost and the cleaner burn, resulting in less engine wear, the ROI is pretty dramatic.
Not the first time this has been done, of course. My BF has two bi-fuel Chevys, both Cavaliers, from the early 2000s. They were commonly used as fleet cars for government agencies, but I guess they proved impractical at the time and were auctioned off.
The computers regulating the natural gas switchover in his cars went bad long ago, so now he just runs them on regular gasoline.
Yeah....really believable - from the people that brought you the destruction of free-enterprise, legal interest in financial assets, pandering to Unions and their medical plan, et al....
They lied, LIED about Volt’s efficacy, its financing, its value, its performance - everything....Just because you slap the name “Impala” on it ain’t gonna cut it this time, GM. Choke on your cars and trucks.
This is easy to do, they just make the fuel tank larger.
I could build one that could go a thousand miles, but wouldn’t have a back seat, and the springs would have to be stronger.
We have been using compressed natural gas for decades in highway vehicles. The crash test data, and actual crashes, proves your made up claim false.
Carbon fiber tanks designed to withstand 4,000 psi or more are quite strong and don't shatter.
And in an accident it will break into 500 pieces and go 500 feet in every direction.
These pieces will go in excess of 500 MPH. I had a 79 Vega that got 35MPG at interstate speed limit. I often stopped to get gas just to stretch my legs and get something to drink. 500 miles in one setting is cruel and usual punishment.
Is CNG safe?
http://www.oringcngfuelsystems.com/is-cng-safe/
The answer to this is, unequivocally, yes CNG is a safe form of energy. However, there are many myths out there regarding the dangers of CNG and we would like to discuss those here. For a visual demonstration of just how safe CNG is, please check out these three videos: (at link above)
Gun Test on Natural Gas Tank
Dynamite Test on Natural Gas Tank
Severe Abuse Test on Natural Gas Tank
lol
VW made a splash with the Passat turbodiesel, able to do 700 miles on one tank of fuel. Perhaps jealous, Mercedes has recently introduced the E250 diesel, a sedan that can travel a bladder-busting 800 miles on a single tank.
A 1997 to 2001 Camry 4 cylinder will go 600 miles on a tank. 41 MPG at 75 MPH. I have done it many times. The newer ones are too heavy and have too much frontal area to do that good.
Back in the early 70s, when the oil embargo hit, GM began working on a 40 gallon gas tank for the full size cars but the govt put the kibosh on it.
That is part of the CNG price as it is sold. Just like we don't need to discuss the cost of refining crude into gasoline, the cost is built into the price of the fuel.
Ok, the green liars lied about the volt.
Being conservative does not mean hating green if it makes free market sense.
Note: Honda has been making, selling, and profiting from a CNG Civic for a couple years now without any subsidies.
No one mentions it because it is of course included in the price you pay.
The other advantage to CNG that no one every mentions is the storage of it. Typically around here when a gas station needs to replace their gasoline storage tanks the company goes out of business. Replacement of the tanks is very expensive. IF a gasoline storage tank ever leaks, it becomes an EPA superfund site. The owners of the station almost always end up declaring bankruptcy. If a CNG tank ever leaks it then just vents into the atmosphere.
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