General Motors Co. is driving into the 2014 Chicago Auto Show with three new vehicles designed for business and commercial customers. Prior to their unveilings at the show later today, the Detroit-based automaker announced the introductions of the 2015 Chevrolet City Express van and the bi-fuel versions of the 2015 Silverado 2500 Heavy-Duty and 3500HD.
CHICAGO, IL- General Motors Co. is driving into the 2014 Chicago Auto Show with two new vehicles designed for business and commercial customers.
Prior to their unveilings at the show later today, the Detroit-based automaker announced the introductions of the 2015 Chevrolet City Express van and the bi-fuel versions of the 2015 Silverado 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty models.
Both vehicles are expected to help improve GM’s commercial lineup and provide different offerings for business owners, according to officials.
City Express
The new cargo van, which was announced in May, is based off of the Nissan NV200 van, but allows GM to enter into the growing cargo van market very quickly.
When it goes on sale this fall, it will be offered in two trim levels – I LS and LT – with a 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine with continuously variable valve timing matched to a continuously variable transmission for improved fuel economy.
In the U.S., Ford Motor Co. has primarily dominated the cargo van market with its lineup of Transit Connect vans. But GM hopes to put a little pressure on its crosstown rival with the new small van.
2015 Chevrolet City Express (Courtesy image)“It is an easy-to-maneuver van that makes the most of its compact dimensions with clever features, allowing business owners to maximize its space – and their resources – with a vehicle sized for their needs,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, GM Fleet and Commercial, in a statement.
The engine, according to GM, is rated at 131 horsepower (98 kW) and 139 lb-ft of torque (188 Nm).
But what’s really important to most business owners in this segment is space. The City Express will offer 122.7 cubic feet (3,474 liters) of customizable cargo space, a tight turning diameter of only 36.7 feet (11.2 m) and an estimated payload capacity of 1,500 pounds.
For commercial customers, Chevrolet already offers Express full-size cargo vans in half-ton, three-quarter-ton and 1-ton chassis, in regular and extended lengths, and with gas – including CNG-capable – and diesel engines. Cut-away and passenger models are also available.
2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD
GM is expanding its lineup of bi-fuel compressed natural gas Chevrolet heavy-duty pickups to all 2015 Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD trucks with single rear wheels.
The 2500HD double cab and crew cab models are on sale now, with 2500HD regular cab and all 3500HD models going on sale in July.
Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD models come in Work Truck (WT), LT and LTZ trims, and are offered in regular cab, double cab and crew cab configurations. The regular cab comes only in WT and LT trims. The new double cab model replaces the previous extended cab and features forward-hinged rear doors, which allow easier access to the back seat, especially in tight parking spaces.
The expansion, according to Peper, is simple: provide customers with a wider range of choices.
2015 Silverado 2500HD Bi-Fuel (Courtesy GM)“With CNG capability to be offered on all Silverado HD cab configurations, customers have a wider range of choices when it comes to selecting the alternatively fueled truck that matches their needs,” he said. “And for companies and municipalities that maintain multiple trucks in their fleet, the fuel cost savings of CNG can really add up in a year.”
Compressed natural gas is one of the cleanest-burning alternative fuels, compared to petroleum products. Natural gas-powered vehicles show an average 80-percent reduction in ozone-forming emissions, compared to gasoline combustion.
With CNG currently priced about 62 percent less per gallon than gasoline, a work truck driven 26,000 miles a year can save more than $2,000 annually based on 75-percent CNG usage and comparable efficiency to gasoline.
GM did not announce pricing for the vehicles. The previous bi-fuel heavy-duty pickups were about $11,000 more than the standard versions. The dedicated CNG engine and fuel system for the vans cost $14,620 more than the standard model.
The pickup trucks are equipped with a 6.0-liter V8 engine that features special hardened valves and valve seats that enables it to run on CNG or gasoline. Separate fuel tanks enable the driver to switch between fuels at the push of a button. The system automatically switches to gasoline when the CNG tank is depleted.
The heavy-duty pickups will be built at GM facilities in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Flint, Mich. The Michigan facility will only build the crew cab models, which are new to the bi-fuel CNG lineup.
GM reintroduced the CNG pickups in March 2012 as 2013 models for $11,000 more than the standard models. The company, which uses supplier IMPCO Automotive in Union City, Ind. to install the bi-fuel CNG system, previously offered CNG vehicles from 1997 – 2006. The automaker backed out due to falling gas prices and lack of demand.
About a dozen vehicles are expected to debut at the show’s press and social media preview days Feb. 6-7. The show is open to the public from Feb. 8-17 at Chicago’s massive McCormick Place conference center. Tickets are $6 for senior citizens and children between 7-12 years old; $12 for adults; and free for children 6 and under. For more information on tickets, visit chicagoautoshow.com.
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Michael Wayland covers the automotive industry for MLive. Email him at MWayland@mlive.com & follow him on Twitter @MikeWayland or Google+.