Ram introduces CNG-powered pickup

Aside from the Honda Civic Natural Gas, compressed-natural-gas-powered vehicles have usually been converted after the fact, generally for fleet use. Chrysler is hoping to carve out a niche in the corporate-pickup segment by selling a factory-built CNG Ram 2500 that can seamlessly switch over to gasoline operation when the natural-gas tanks run dry.

The twin 4.6-cubic-foot CNG tanks (which store the equivalent of 18.2 gallons of gas) take up a section of the bed, while an eight-gallon gasoline tank provides fuel during start-up and then reserve capacity when the compressed tanks are tapped out, allowing the bruiser a measure of operational flexibility.

A gasoline-gallon equivalent (GGE) offers the same energy as one gallon of gas; it's roughly 14.5 liters at 3,600 pounds per square inch. Currently, a GGE sells for about $1.25 less than a gallon of gasoline and burns significantly cleaner, emitting 20 percent less CO2 and 70 percent less NOx than a gasoline vehicle.

To be built at Chrysler's Heavy Duty truck plant in Saltillo, Mexico, the 5.7-liter Hemi powerplant features reworked cylinder heads and a CNG-specific fuel rail with dedicated injectors. The gaseous Ram comes set up for towing with a trailer-brake controller, a Class IV hitch receiver and can lug 7,650 pounds. The four-foot, eight-inch bed can carry 1,580 pounds, and the front end is rated for 5,200 pounds, perfect for snowplow duty.

We think this is a smart move on Chrysler's part, given General Motors' recent announcement of a CNG Silverado. GM has, after all, built CNG vans using its 6.0-liter V8, so it's not treading in unknown territory. Ford is also making a converted CNG F-250 available and has previously offered natural-gas-powered pickups.

Cutting toxins from the grossest emitters is one of the simplest and easiest ways to improve air quality, and with oil prices spiking and our abundant reserves of natural gas here in the United States, it's almost a no-brainer for locally operated light-truck fleets.

By Davey G. Johnson