The fuel added to the tank of the big Ford F-350 4-by-4 Crew Cab three days ago was priced at the equivalent of $2.59 per gallon. That, of course, is a buck a gallon cheaper than I’ve been paying.
It was compressed natural gas – in the Ford Super Duty equipped with a Venchurs Vehicle System bi-fuel conversion.
A 6.2-liter V-8 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission power the Ford/Venchurs truck. A heavy tank, for holding the compressed fuel, takes up 30 inches, and full width, at the front of the truck’s 8-foot box, leaving about 5½ feet of cargo space.
The system allows “on-the-fly” switching between regular gasoline and natural gas fuel by pressing a toggle on the dash.
There is no lack of smoothness while operating with CNG. In 0-to-50 acceleration tests I conducted, the CNG-powered run was 1½ seconds slower than that powered by gasoline, and natural-gas power on hill climbs seemed to ebb a bit more than the regular mode.
Interest has grown in CNG due to its plentiful supply domestically, much lower price at the pump, reduced emissions and expectations for extended vehicle service life, and Ford, Chrysler and General Motors are offering the conversions on some trucks.
Among downsides is a lack of fueling stations. Only 16 are listed in Colorado; I fueled the Ford Super Duty at a pump in Brighton. The connection process is a simple one for flowing the compressed natural gas into the truck’s tank. The gasoline filler tube and natural gas connector sit side by side under the same fuel-filler lid.
The Ford F-350, with the Lariat package, is a pricey one (sticker is $51,770); the CNG conversion puts it slightly above $60,000. It has running boards, a handy tailgate step, spray-in bedliner, fifth-wheel hitch, skid plates and trailer brake controller. Inside are heated leather seats, backup camera in the rearview mirror, power moonroof and power sliding rear window.
The fuel gauge for the CNG is mounted on the dash (driver’s side) at the base of the A pillar. Compressed natural gas is measured in gasoline gallon equivalents (GGE). One GGE of natural gas produces an equal amount of energy as a gallon of gasoline.
If a customer is interested in CNG, the person specifies that at a dealer, a Ford representative said. “There’s a $250 to $300 option that Ford installs that preps the engine and Electronic Control Module for conversion. The truck is built and shipped to the Qualified Vehicle Manufacturer (such as Venchurs), which does the actual conversion. It’s then sent to the dealer for delivery to the customer. Depending amount of driving and cost differential between CNG and regular gas or diesel, the payback can come in as little as 2½ to three years.”
Bud Wells can be reached via e-mail at bwells@denverpost.com.
