Truck Trend, the information resource from Motor Trend that focuses specifically on pickups and SUVs, recently completed its review of Chrysler's 2012 Ram 2500 CNG and found that one of the vehicle's only drawbacks was ‘slightly diminished power when running on CNG.’
‘The 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 is plenty powerful on paper, with an output of 383 hp and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Those figures are slightly lower on natural gas, but the Ram still scoots around with plenty of verve,’ the review states.
The publication also noted the Ram CNG's decreased bed capacity, thanks to the compressed natural gas tanks that reside there.
However, other than these factors, the OEM truck performed and appeared much like its gasoline-powered counterpart, according to Truck Trend.
‘The factory-built nature is apparent in the cleanliness and integration of the conversion,’ the review says. ‘For instance, there aren't any tacked-on gauges sitting on top of the dashboard or taking up a spare 12-volt outlet. The Ram's CNG gauge is built into the main cluster in place of the voltmeter, right next to gasoline gauge.’
Truck Trend mentioned that the premium for the CNG model is $11,000, compared to – for instance – $7,795 for a Cummins diesel.
