Fern said that the 1.8L-equipped CNG Cruze outputs 20 hp and 24 ft-lbs torque over its competitor, while maintaining nearly the same fuel economy. Further, the CDP CNG Cruze will carry a significant powertrain warranty and has 1.5 times the cargo volume of its competitor, Fern added.

The CNG Cruze is targeted at fleets looking to purchase a domestic small passenger mono-fuel CNG vehicle.

A significant amount of engineering went into this vehicle to ensure a near OEM-level of integration, Fern said. The tank will hold approximately 8.5 gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) of CNG, allowing a highway range of more than 240 miles (386 km) Specifications and more details will be available in the near future.

CDP, which was founded in 2012 to provide innovative products to the hot rod community and the OEM and aftermarket alternative fuel industry, also recently expanded its development on Class 6 heavy duty engines to include a 7.4L supercharged CNG engine; the new engine will join the naturally aspirated 6.9L in the CDP Torquemaster family. (Earlier post.)

Fern was a co-founder of NaturalDrive Partners LLC, the fuel system designer and Manufacturer Of Record of the 2011+ General Motors CNG van program. Fern was also the President of AFVTech inc., a small company with fuel system design for a Department of Energy (DOE) funded hydrogen vehicle program.