NGVs and the everyday driver: selections are few but growing: natural-gas conversions popular among fleets.

• Author: Lewis, David

You are a pioneer by nature, and you wish to be the first in your neighborhood to drive NVG. A clean, fuel-efficient, powerful, quiet, durable natural-gas vehicle: that's what you need.

Manufacturers are responding to the natural gas revolution by bringing nut a variety of choices: The 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas appears to be the sole big carmaker's passenger product available. On the way to market or just arriving, however. are CNG engines for die Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Dodge Rain 2500 CNG and Ford F-250 pickups, as well as Chevy Savana vans and Ford Transit and Transit Connect vans.

Then, too, you can consider "up-fitting," or converting a gasoline-driven vehicle to the NGV of your pioneering dreams.

The Colorado Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition recommends two metro-area up-fitters. In the north, FuelTeck Conversion Corp; in the south. it's Go Freedom Fuel, which also has facilities in Oklahoma.

Only EPA-approved vehicles can up-fitted. These are: the Ford Transit, F150/250/350, Focus, Fusion, Crown Victoria. Expedition. the Ford E150/250/350/1.50/450 Cargo Van; the Mercury Milan and Grand Marquis: the Lincoln Town Car and Navigator: the Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Avalanche, Colorado, Suburban, Impala, Lucerne, Malibu, and G6, Chevrolet Express Cargo Van, Chevrolet W3500, GMC Savana Cargo Van, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon I 500: the Hummer H3 and the Isuzu NPR.

Not such a bad selection. you'll admit.

Should you decide to up-fit your Crown Victoria or Mercury Milan, you would indeed be a pioneer.

"The conversions that we do predominantly are fleet vehicles because of the economics. A lot of the natural gas production companies are very much behind this...