2015 Chevrolet Impala Shows off Bi-Fuel Powertrain

2015 chevy impala

With the first deliveries due before the end of this year, the bi-fuel version of the 2015 Chevrolet Impala is getting a big push from the Bowtie brand, and it also recently received a notable recognition from efficiency experts.

Now, on the odd chance readers have forgotten, the bi-fuel 2015 Chevrolet Impala can be powered by either gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG), with the ability to switch between the two as needed. As a result, folks can rely on clean-burning, lower-cost CNGfor approximately 150 miles of urban driving range, then, to go farther, the car's fuel system can seamlessly switch over to traditional gasoline, which is held in a separate tank. Drivers can switch between the two quite easily, too, by using a simple dash-mounted button in the cabin of the bi-fuel 2015 Chevrolet Impala.

Those kinds of benefits are then backed by extensive durability testing so owners of the bi-fuel 2015 Chevrolet Impala can ride in confidence. For example, in the bonfire test, the car's CNG tank is positioned just inches above an 800-degree fire to evaluate its pressure-release valves and heat resistance. The tank also has to withstand being hit by a 7.62-mm armor-piercing round without rupturing or allowing an exit hole. Further, GM put the 2015 Chevrolet Impala through in-house crash testing in front-, side- and rear-impact driving scenarios after re-engineering it for bi-fuel capability. Per Chevy, that's an important step that sometimes gets skipped during an aftermarket CNG conversion.

Noted Nichole Kraatz, Impala chief engineer: “We designed this system for those ‘what if’ situations. The customer shouldn’t even know it’s there. They shouldn’t even think about it. CNG should just be another fuel they use to power their vehicle.”

On the other hand, the editorial team at Green Car Journal obviously gave a lot of thought to the bi-fuel 2015 Chevrolet Impala. In fact, the publication named it a finalist for the Green Car of the Year Award and reported that: "The Chevrolet Impala bi-fuel sedan breaks new ground by offering the comfort and functionality of a popular ... sedan with the ability to drive on affordable, clean natural gas or conventional gasoline."

The Green Car trophy will be presented at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show, so stay tuned.