(Photo by Brian Toad Photography on Flickr)
NaturalDrive Partners has developed a retrofitting kit that allows a gasoline-powered 2008 Chevy Impala to run on compressed natural gas (CNG). The company has cleared a major hurdle by receiving EPA certification for the kit in five different models of the 2008 Chevy Impala including two models used by police departments nationwide. NaturalDrive is hoping that this certification will allow easier review for CNG kits in future models.
The NaturalDrive CNG system reduces carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by 50% according to the company’s testing. The CNG system has also been determined to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 15%, an important consideration for EPA approval. NaturalDrive uses a primary CNG tank with a 10.4-gallon gas equivalent with an optional tank capable of holding a 13-gallon gas equivalent for long-distance commuters.
The newly certified CNG kit is beneficial beyond the reduced emissions noted by the EPA. NaturalDrive claims that CNG retrofitting in a 2008 Chevy Impala can take less than 45 minutes if directions are followed carefully. The retrofitting process does not require excessive wiring and cooling, using the Impala’s fuel lines to send natural gas to the engine. The company has also designed the kit to avoid scrambling the engine diagnostics system, allowing warning lights and accurate measurements to reach the driver’s dashboard.
NaturalDrive Partners is making a concerted effort to get the CNG retrofit kit into showrooms throughout the United States ahead of 2009. Retrofit kits are being sold at Chevy dealerships in Indiana, Colorado, Alabama, Arizona, Utah and Oklahoma at this moment. Chevy and NaturalDrive Partners expect to see greater sales as dealerships in Texas and Florida sell the kits by the beginning of 2009. With the EPA currently reviewing certification in 2009 Chevy Impala models, the kit could become a mainstay of Chevy dealerships nationwide by next fall.
The ability to convert 2008 Chevy Impalas with CNG retrofit kits is promising for other conversion kits awaiting EPA approval. As General Motors, Chrysler and Ford have struggled to survive in 2008, the NaturalDrive system may be the jump-start needed for a new generation of vehicles. By working with NaturalDrive directly, General Motors can avoid the installation process and expand its alternative fuel fleet by thousands without much effort.
