Chevrolet and GMC today announced details of General Motors’ bi-fuel 2013 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 HD extended cab pickup trucks at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, IN.

The vehicles include a compressed natural gas (CNG) capable Vortec 6.0L V8 engine that seamlessly transitions between CNG and gasoline fuel systems.

The truck always starts using gasoline and switches over to CNG once the proper operating temperature is reached.

However, the driver can switch between fuels at any time — even when driving at highway speeds — simply by pressing a button mounted on the dashboard. Combined, the trucks offer a range of more than 650 miles.

The Silverado and Sierra will be available in standard and long box, with either two- or four-wheel drive.

“The bi-fuel Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra provide customers with choices in advanced propulsion technology, and because CNG is a clean-burning, domestically produced fuel, it has wide appeal,” said Ed Peper, general manager, GM Fleet and Commercial Operations.

“The addition of a full-size bi-fuel pickup truck to GM’s fleet portfolio is another milestone in putting the customer first in everything we do – by offering great products, innovative solutions and a great customer experience.”

The bi-fuel trucks are built with a specially designed engine, the fuel system is installed by GM’s Tier One supplier and the completed vehicle is delivered directly to the customer.

This process makes ordering the bi-fuel option as seamless and efficient as a standard vehicle, according to Joyce Mattman, director, GM’s commercial product and specialty vehicles.

“The bi-fuel truck provides businesses with added re-fueling flexibility and eases consumer range concerns that typically come with CNG, all while reducing emissions and controlling costs,” Mattman adds.

“This turnkey ordering process, combined with the best warranty in the industry for a commercial product, makes our bi-fuel truck an attractive option, especially for commercial customers.”

The bi-fuel commercial 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. It is the most extensive warranty offered by any manufacturer on commercial products.

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

At a press conference today at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, IN, Diaz noted that the Ram brand has consistently pushed forward with a series of innovative products designed for the commercial truck market in North America, resulting in sales boosts of 21 percent last year, with Ram pickup trucks picking up 23 percent in their segment compared to 2010. Ram has enjoyed 22 consecutive months of sales gains, Diaz says, and predicts that 2012 will prove to be a banner year with early sales figures showing the Ram brand already up 15 percent in sales compared with this time last year.

“It wasn’t very long ago that people were questioning Ram’s commitment to the commercial truck market,” Diaz said. “But today, it is clear that Ram has removed all doubt: We are in this industry to stay, offering a work truck for every job in the nation.”

New products are of course central to Diaz’s message, and Ram didn’t disappoint at NTEA, introducing four new models specifically designed for fleet and commercial truck customers.

Highlighting the new vehicles is the Ram 2500 HD CNG pickup truck, which Diaz says is the only factory-built CNG pickup truck offered in North America today. “This is not a conversion or a kit,” he noted. “This is a factory-built truck, assembled on the line next to other Ram 2500 trucks in Saltillo and fully covered by Ram’s five year, 100,000 mile warranty.”

Diaz says Ram is able to deliver a factory-built CNG truck thanks to parent company Fiat’s experience with this technology. According to Diaz, Fiat currently hold 80 percent marketshare of all CNG vehicles produced in Europe, and Ram was able to leverage that expertise in the design of this 5.7 HEMI dual-fuel engine.

The Ram 2500 HD features a full crew cab and 8-foot box and is powered by a HEMI engine modified to run compressed natural gas as well as gasoline. The truck features a 14.2-cubic-foot CNG tank as well as an 8-gallon gasoline tank, for a combined range of over 600 miles. In use, the dual-fuel system is automatic, transitioning from one fuel to the other with no driver input and little discernible difference in vehicle operation or capability.

Ram also announced two new fleet-focused Tradesman pickups, the Tradesman Crew and Quad Cab models. The new, full-size, four-door trucks offer seating for six full-size adults, V-8 power and a standard towing package. The Ram 4.7 liter V-8 is rated at 310 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque and delivers 20 mpg in highway driving. A more-powerful 4.7 liter engine is also available with towing capability up to 7,700 pounds. The ultimate power option, a 5.7 liter HEMI engine churns out 390 horsepower and 407 pound-feet of torque.

Ram also debuted a new, upfitter-friendly Ram chassis cut-away van, which provides the structural integrity of the truck in cases where modifiers need to remove up to 80 percent of the truck body — as in ambulance body installations, for example. “The new Ram chassis rear panel cut-away instructions were created as a direct response to customer input and are produced by Ram engineering,” Diaz notes. “This is just one more example of our efforts to maintain leadership in upfitter solutions for commercial trucks.”

All regular cab versions of the Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab trucks can now be modified to properly remove up to 80 percent of the rear portion of the vehicle using the new instructions.

2013 Ram Commercial Truck 2500 CNG

Howell says Westport LD’s goal is to provide users with a key-ready experience. “When they take delivery of these vehicles and turn the key, we don’t what them to feel any difference than if they were sitting in a conventional Ford Super Duty truck,” he says. “And that holds true for the whole ownership experience in terms of maintenance and warranty. It will be transparent compared to a gasoline powered Ford Super Duty.”

Westport LD’s Super Duty models have a range from 200 to 350 miles when operating on CNG, depending on tank size. Overall vehicle range extends to over 600 miles when the 32 gallon gasoline tank is factored into the equation. “But unlike some competitive CNG models, there is no button allowing drivers to select between CNG and gasoline,” Howell notes. “Our research told us fleets prefer to have these trucks running on CNG as much as possible. So these Super Duty trucks will run on natural gas as long as it is present in the tank.” When the CNG tank runs by, the engine immediately and seamlessly switches to gasoline. Once the CNG is refilled, the truck reverts to natural gas the next time the truck is started.

The bi-fuel Super Duty trucks designed to meet both EPA and CARB standards feature a 6.2L V-8 engine with hardened valves and seats. Virtually every Super Duty pickup configuration can be upfitted to a bi-fuel version, including 6.75- and 8-foot box lengths and 4×2 and 4×4 powertrain configurations.

Howell says Westport LD Super Dutys will retail for $9,750 over the base Super Duty sticker price, with an optional 24-gallon gasoline-equivalent tank available for an addition $1,200. As noted, production will begin in May, with trucks rolling off the assembly line during a slow ramp-up to full production in July of this year.

The Maximum Control family of pre-heat controllers is designed to give drivers simplified control of heater functions, more guidance for technicians and more real-time information and control for fleet managers.

Espar says new Maximum Control line offers fleets a suite of smart heater control choices while taking heater controls out of driver hands and allowing fleet managers full control of pre-heating options.

In less than 5 minutes, users can program the D1000 heater control module to handle as many as four distinct events per day with different start and stop times.

The D1000 allows users to easily set high-temperature disable points as well as a maximum manual run time, a low-voltage disable set point, preferred PM intervals and an exercise scheduler. These programming points can be set for one, or multiple vehicles.

“By taking the driver out of the programming process, running your coolant heaters means no more unnecessary idling, no more needless engine wear-and-tear, no more wasted time and no more wasted fuel,” says John Dennehy, vice president of marketing and communication for Espar. “Then the Multi-Max F1000, as soon as your workers arrive on site, they are guaranteed to climb into a warm, de-iced truck and work-ready vehicle.”

Dennehy says that drivers will appreciate the systems’ on-button, on/off control and a diagnostic indicator that alerts them to service issues. If service is required, a unit-generated fault code tells technicians the source of the problem allowing them to quickly diagnose and repair the issue.

Eric Guenther, general marketing manager for Ford, noted that the company has shown consistent market share growth over the past three years while reducing debt by $6 billion — achievements he called a “tremendous turnaround.” At the same time, Guenther said that dealer relations have never been better and Ford’s partnership with the United Auto Workers (UAW) has been stronger.

At the core of his message, Guenther emphasized that Ford remains deeply committed to the North American commercial truck market, saying, “Commercial trucks are not an add-on piece of business for us. It is at the core of what we do. And the commitment is reflected in over three decades of class-leading products such as our F-Series trucks and E-Series commercial vans.”

Crunching the numbers, Guenther said that Ford sold 262,000 commercial vehicles last year, landing 48 percent overall market share in that segment. Looking ahead to 2012, Gunether says Ford sees a bright outlook, with a predicted overall North American vehicle market of 14.2 million cars and trucks. Initial surveys indicate the commercial vehicle market will contribute 655,000 units to that overall number — resulting in 21 percent growth for the commercial vehicle market at year’s end, provided that forecast holds steady.

A key component to Ford’s continued success will be the introduction of new products, of course. Rob Stevens, chief engineer for Ford, says 2012 will see the North American launch of the full-size Transit commercial van, which was developed in Europe and has been sold globally for more than 30 years. “Ford has sold 6 million Transit vans worldwide since 1961,” Stevens said. “And we think this lighter but stronger product is exactly the right van for where the North American market is heading today.”

Stevens says the full-size Transit van, which is sold in Europe with either front-wheel or rear-wheel drive, will be sold in North America with the exact same 3.5-liter Ecoboost power train found in the F-150 pickup truck line. “This compact, efficient but powerful powertrain weighs 300 pound less than our E-Series van line, but still delivers 11,300 foot-pounds of towing power while delivering 25 percent better fuel economy.”

The full-size Transit van is undergoing North American validation testing now with U.S. assembly and sales slated for early next year. To minimize customer disruption and allow commercial customers time to get to know the new van, Stevens said full production of E-Series commercial vans will continue to ensure a seamless transition as the new van comes on line. At the same time, Stevens says Ford will continue product of E-Series cut-away and stripped chassis platforms for the foreseeable future.

Additionally, Stevens announced that Ford will begin production of a new, gasoline-powered F-650 commercial truck. The new powertrain will be based on Ford’s 6.8 liter V-10 engine cranking out 357 horsepower and 457 foot-pounds of torque. CNG and LNG versions will be offered as well with availability beginning this summer.

PERC is exhibiting propane autogas vehicles that it says cost less to operate while providing the same horsepower, torque and range as their gasoline counterparts and burning cleaner than gasoline; according to the council, propane autogas vehicles emit 12 percent less carbon dioxide, 20 percent less nitrogen oxide and up to 60 percent less carbon monoxide than gas-powered vehicles.

“Propane autogas is an ideal alternative fuel for fleet managers seeking to lower their refueling costs while also meeting their environmental goals,” says Roy Willis, president and chief executive officer of PERC. “There’s no better place than the Work Truck Show to display the cost-saving and air-quality advantages that propane autogas offers.”

PERC will display several vehicles with Roush CleanTech propane autogas systems, including a Ford E-450 cutaway box truck and a 2011 E-350 cutaway van. There will also be an Exmark commercial mower, and visitors can drive the General Motors 4500 cutaway van by CleanFuel USA in the show’s Green Truck Ride-and-Drive.

On Tuesday, March 6, PERC, CleanFuel USA and Roush CleanTech will host the “Propane Autogas: Green, Clean, Economical” seminar to discuss product availability, refueling option, and the benefits of using domestically produced propane autogas.

Dr. Chu spoke about general petrochemical, geopolitical and climate trends and how those factors will affect the North American commercial truck industry and transportation sector in coming years. Chu said that the Obama administration is taking a proactive role in working with American private businesses to drive innovation into the commercial truck industry with an overall goal of increasing fuel efficiency and productivity while driving down both acquisition costs and ROI for new and alternative propulsion technologies.

The Department of Energy is taking a multi-faceted approach to America’s energy needs, Chu says, with multiple overall goals: To reduce the pressure on families being squeezed by the cost of fuel, to moderate or even eliminate wild spikes in the cost of fuel, to promote and encourage the development, acceptance and use of alternate fuel and powertrain technologies and do all of this in a responsible manner that promotes the current economic recover and sustained economic growth going forward.

Chu said the Department of Energy’s current efforts are wide-reaching and hope to positively boost fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a number of markets and applications – from compact consumer automobiles all the way up to heavy-duty commercial trucks and trailers. The efforts range from aerodynamic initiatives, to vehicle weight reduction through the use of new, lightweight, high-strength steel in automotive designs. “We know that for every 10 percent reduction in weight we can take out of a passenger car, there is a corresponding 7 percent increase in fuel efficiency,” Chu noted. ”

At the same time, Chu says the Department of Energy is pioneering the use of vehicle and engine design using government-developed and funded super computers to accelerate the time-to-market for promising new technologies, specifically touting the development of a new Cummins, 6-liter diesel engine.

“We have a much deeper understanding of engine design and operation today thanks to these super computers,” Chu noted. “The question is, ‘How can we help American businesses and consumers operating in very competitive worldwide markets?’ And one easy answer is the use of these super computers to simulate performance like in cars, trucks, engines and tires the way we already to aircraft like the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. By doing so, we believe we can reduce design cycles by up to 50 percent and save companies a lot of money.”

Other DOE initiatives Chu points to include an increased emphasis on trailer aerodynamics– including new, “under tray” aerodynamic systems designed to smooth air flow under a conventional, 53-foot dry van, particularly under the trailer’s axles. In doing so, Chu says, studies have found fleets can increase fuel economy by another 5 to 10 percent in conventional long-haul applications.

In terms of emerging technology, Chu said that high U.S. reserves of natural gas make LNG and CNG fuel options a “no brainer” for the trucking industry. But noted that infrastructure is lagging and acquisition costs remain high while ROI for such systems is still in the two- to four-year range.

“Our push here is to drive natural gas technologies to get to a point where acquisition costs drop by 30 or 40 percent and ROI falls down to two years or less for these vehicles,” he added. “And those efforts are being helped by the dramatic infrastructure enhancements already under way: By year’s end there will be 275 new, LNG fueling stations located every 150 miles or so along the country’s major trucking routes with another 17 stations under construction.”

Looking toward long-term solutions, Chu says promising research indicates biofuels could become a viable option one day. Using this approach, Chu says, various forms of organic matter, from fast-growing grasses to waste products can be mixed with yeasts and bacteria to create chemical reactions that create chemicals very similar in form and function to gasoline or diesel fuel. While stressing that these efforts are in the early stage and a long way from maturity, Chu notes that research is far enough along, and results are encouraging enough to begin construction on a pilot plant to explore mass production of these fuels.

Electric vehicles remain a promising option for many urban fleets, Chu says. And recent battery developments are increasing the efficiency of all-electric vehicles considerably. “The current problem here is battery price,” Chu explains. “Currently, we’re talking about $10,000 to $15,000 for battery systems for these vehicles. We’ve just seen the introduction of 400 kilowatt battery system, which doubles the power density of electric drive vehicles. And the Department of Energy’s focus going forward will be to reduce the cost of these battery systems from $600 per kilowatt hour where we are today, to $150 per kilowatt hour by 2020.”

Chu notes that as emerging nations burn more and more diesel and gasoline, diversity will become increasingly important for truck fleets in coming years. “And like fleet managers, I am unimpressed by technology for technology’s sake,” he added. “I firmly believe that the Department of Energy must do whatever it can to help manufacturers and fleets get to the point where any additional costs added to a vehicle to boost fuel economy must be paying for itself in 3 or 4 years. This is what we are focusing on when it comes to electric or hybrid vehicles or just plain better conventional diesel engines and hope that competition between companies helps feed this effort. In the last three to five years we’ve seen a lot of progress from the private sector in partnering with us and we hope to continue that trend moving forward.”