New CNG/Gasoline Bi-Fuel Silverado is here! WOOT

[ocnblu]

This is so brainy in comparison to CAFE laws and electrification... very cool.

Edited November 9, 2012 by ocnblu

[ocnblu]

[FAPTurbo]

Half the box is taken up by the CNG tank.

This is brainy how?

[ocnblu]

uuuuhhhhmmmmm... because we have plenty of NG here in America. Because there is no strain to the power grid. Because it allows Americans to drive WHAT THEY WANT TO DRIVE without penalty... no downsizing, no expensive lightweight materials. No giant battery to contend with. And many more reasons. Come on, you're a smart boy.

Edited November 9, 2012 by ocnblu

[Intrepidation]

[Drew Dowdell]

No giant battery to contend with.

Giant CNG tank instead? Much more giant than a battery by the looks of it.

[Intrepidation]

Which makes it pretty much useless as a pick`em up.

[ocnblu]

OK... a giant battery is not a tank, and if this were a full electric, I guarantee you the batteries would be at least as giant as that tank. Batteries consist of rare metals that have to be mined and shipped from Timbuktu. There are safety concerns. Then when they are dead, they have to be handled from there. The tank is a tank, seems simple enough.

Dodgefan... what can a Prius tow? This truck is still perfectly useful for its intended purpose.

Proponents of electrified vehicles cannot have it both ways. This can get us closer to energy independence without compromising the vehicles we want. No need for CAFE laws with a full CNG vehicle. This is a step toward full CNG and it can be much easier done than transforming a 3/4 ton pickup truck to comply with CAFE laws... and it is better than electrification.

Have any of you seen the size of some of these toolboxes in pickup trucks? This is about the size of some toolboxes people mount in their trucks.

Edited November 9, 2012 by ocnblu

[Intrepidation]

Toolbox is removable should you want to, you know, use the bed, one of the other important purposes of a pickup.

[ocnblu]

Bed is still usable, Andrew. And be real, how many of those bolted-in toolboxes, full of tools, are ever removed? Stuff just gets stacked on top of the toolbox.

[Camino LS6]

This is the right way forward, even if the packaging needs some work.

[Drew Dowdell]

This is the right way forward, even if the packaging needs some work.

Agreed. If this wasn't an afterthought, I'm sure GM could package the tank in there in a more reasonable way, but as a conversion, I find it wanting.

[Z-06]

The truck will be only available for government/utilities fleet customers. Not common people, at least that is the fine print on build and price.

[ocnblu]

Aww... not good. Goes contrary to what the engineers say in the vids.

[David]

The truck will be only available for government/utilities fleet customers. Not common people, at least that is the fine print on build and price.

Not True at all, the local GM dealership in the Seattle area are already selling these to the public. This is great for the fleets.

FYI, They are using a type 3 CNG can for holding as to why the big tool box. World CNG who is a licensened IMPCO conversion company does this all the time but uses the more costly Type 4 Carbon Fiber tanks that actually go under the truck giving you the full bed, but at a reduced holding capacity. Fleets wanted maximum travel and so got a tank that give them 300 miles on CNG and 355 miles on Petro. Petro tank still bigger, but the combined 655 miles range is hard to beat.

These trucks rock and this is the right step to get America off imported oil.

[ocnblu]

When is Dodge bringing theirs out?

[Z-06]

The truck will be only available for government/utilities fleet customers. Not common people, at least that is the fine print on build and price.

Not True at all, the local GM dealership in the Seattle area are already selling these to the public. This is great for the fleets.

These trucks rock and this is the right step to get America off imported oil.

I hope this does not end up being the Caprice fiasco.

[Drew Dowdell]

Caprice fiasco?

Z, it just says fleet, it doesn't say Utilities fleet... or did I misunderstand?

[David]

Caprice fiasco?

Z, it just says fleet, it doesn't say Utilities fleet... or did I misunderstand?

In talking to the lady who over seas the fleet program for GM and manages the LinkedIn GM CNG and Fleet Groups, she states that the fleet designation is there so that people have to work with the fleet sales person. Anyone can buy a CNG/Petrol Bi-Fuel truck from GM but must do it from the Fleet salesperson at the dealership.

Anyone can buy the trucks.

Dodge is planning at last anouncement to have their trucks out Jan 2013. They only get a 9gallon cng tank unlike GM or Ford who are doing the big tanks.

[Z-06]

Caprice fiasco?

Z, it just says fleet, it doesn't say Utilities fleet... or did I misunderstand?

That was an error on my side.

As far as Caprice fiasco - there was a loophole in the process where civilians could buy the vehicles that was later realized and closed by GM, but few escaped into the hands of people anyways.

Dfelt, if such is the case then it is good, but I fail to see why GM would pose that language on its website.

[ocnblu]

It is rather discouraging language, but I find every single GM-sponsored website to be discouraging in some way. Something is always wrong somewhere.

[David]

Caprice fiasco?

Z, it just says fleet, it doesn't say Utilities fleet... or did I misunderstand?

That was an error on my side.

As far as Caprice fiasco - there was a loophole in the process where civilians could buy the vehicles that was later realized and closed by GM, but few escaped into the hands of people anyways.

Dfelt, if such is the case then it is good, but I fail to see why GM would pose that language on its website.

Most sales GM would like to have come from companies that are focused on the CNG market who would then get the vehicle for a customer from the fleet sales person but that adds another layer of cost that I do not see as needed. So as the GM LinkedIn group said, just go see the fleet sales person to buy one.

[Z-06]

Caprice fiasco?

Z, it just says fleet, it doesn't say Utilities fleet... or did I misunderstand?

That was an error on my side.

As far as Caprice fiasco - there was a loophole in the process where civilians could buy the vehicles that was later realized and closed by GM, but few escaped into the hands of people anyways.

Dfelt, if such is the case then it is good, but I fail to see why GM would pose that language on its website.

Most sales GM would like to have come from companies that are focused on the CNG market who would then get the vehicle for a customer from the fleet sales person but that adds another layer of cost that I do not see as needed. So as the GM LinkedIn group said, just go see the fleet sales person to buy one.

What do you mean? An individual going through his company that is CNG focused which in turn will approach a fleet sales person and then procure the vehicle?

[David]

Caprice fiasco?

Z, it just says fleet, it doesn't say Utilities fleet... or did I misunderstand?

That was an error on my side.

As far as Caprice fiasco - there was a loophole in the process where civilians could buy the vehicles that was later realized and closed by GM, but few escaped into the hands of people anyways.

Dfelt, if such is the case then it is good, but I fail to see why GM would pose that language on its website.

Most sales GM would like to have come from companies that are focused on the CNG market who would then get the vehicle for a customer from the fleet sales person but that adds another layer of cost that I do not see as needed. So as the GM LinkedIn group said, just go see the fleet sales person to buy one.

What do you mean? An individual going through his company that is CNG focused which in turn will approach a fleet sales person and then procure the vehicle?

There are businesses that are wanting to change over to CNG fleet so a company will come to then, offer a CNG fueling solution and trucks and make a pitch to the customer and because they might have financing all setup, will buy the new GM CNG BiFuel trucks along with the CNG fueling solution and end up paying more than if you bought the trucks direct and only bought the fueling solution.