Next summer, the 2015 Chevrolet Impala will become the first manufacturer-made full-size bi-fuel sedan in North America. GM made the announcement today via its Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson, (fittingly) during remarks at an energy summit marking the 40th anniversary of the OPEC Oil Embargo.
Available to both retail and fleet customers, the Impala bi-fuel sedan can run on either gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG), with the car's total range from the two energy sources expected to be up to 500 miles or about 800 kilometers.
The bi-fuel edition of the Impala will use a modified version of GM's 3.6-liter V6 engine with the CNG tank positioned above the rear axle and behind the passenger compartment.
"Natural gas is a cleaner-burning transportation fuel compared to petroleum products, and costs significantly less than gasoline at current prices," GM said in a statement. "CNG vehicles typically have 20 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline-powered cars, according to the California Air Resources Board."
No other details were released about the car, though, in the pictures as well as the provided video, we see that the switch between the two fuel sources can be made via a button on the left hand side of the dashboard.
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