Ford->ke31 has announced it will offer its Compressed Natural Gas and Propane prep package on the 2016 F-150. What’s more, Ford is upfitting the 5.0-liter V-8 rather than the 3.7-liter V-6 as it has in years past. That means CNG/P customers get the upgraded capability with the V-8, but at the same $315 upfit charge.

That $315 charge includes an upgraded intake manifold, along with hardened valves and valve seats. Customers wanting to continue the CNG/P conversion must then choose an aftermarket supplier to complete the alternative fuel transformation.

Conveniently, Ford has a list of trusted suppliers that offer warranties on their installation and parts. The CNG/P conversion does not interfere with Ford’s five year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Costs for the full conversion typically run between $7,500 and $9,500, depending on the fuel tank size.

Even despite the expensive upfit costs, CNG/P offers customers a low-cost fuel that doesn’t fluctuate in price the way gasoline and diesel do. Ford says the national average price of CNG is $2.11 a gallon, with some regions dipping down to $1 a gallon. Fleet customers – those who typically operate CNG/P vehicles – are able to buy the fuel in bulk, again helping decrease operating costs.

Best of all, running CNG/P does not diminish the F-150’s towing or payload capacities, except for the added weight of the hardware. That means a properly equipped F-150 will still be able to lug 11,000 pounds on its hitch or haul 3,300 pounds in the bed.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Ford F-150 CNG.

Why it matters

Lowering costs and streamlining business is an appealing proposition for fleet owners and bean counters, so it’s easy to understand the allure. For ford, it has the CNG/P market on lockdown, especially in the half-ton market. Neither General Motors nor Ram offer such a package on their 1500 models. All three automakers, however, offer CNG/P conversions for their respective three-quarter and one-ton trucks.

Ford extends its CNG/P lineup even further to include the Transit Connect and Transit vans, along with its medium-duty trucks. Included in that is the F-650 and F-750, along with the F-53 and F-59 stripped chassis – all of which are still powered by the 6.8-liter V-10. For customers looking for a F-250 or F-350, Ford offers the package with the 6.2-liter V-8.

Ford F-150