DEARBORN, Mich., May 8, 2000 -- Ford Motor Company introduced the propane-powered, bi-fuel Super Duty F-Series chassis cab for the 2000 model year. Ford has already begun taking orders for the vehicle and hopes to sell approximately 1,300 units this year.

The propane-powered chassis cab expands the Ford propane-powered vehicle line-up and is available in several different models and fuel tank configurations. The result is greater flexibility for the customer. Ford now has a propane-powered vehicle option for nearly every commercial truck application.

"There's been a lot of demand - especially from the propane industry - for a propane-powered truck that is flexible enough to be used for multiple applications," said Dave Tarrant, Ford commercial truck and alternative fuel vehicle manager. "We are now able to give them that flexibility by offering the truck in several models with several tank configurations."

The propane-powered chassis cab is available as an F-350 (11,200 gvw), F-450 (15,000 gvw) or F-550 (17,500 gvw/19,000 gvw) with a regular cab or crew cab. Vehicles can be ordered with aleft-hand frame mount or aft-of-axle propane fuel tank configuration or both, providing greater flexibility to customer needs. Additionally, the Super Duty chassis cab can accommodate many kinds of second bodies including van, stake, dump, service/utility, bulk and others.

The versatile chassis cab runs on either propane or unleaded gasoline, which gives customers the choice of operating on clean-burning, cost effective propane with the convenience and security of refueling on gasoline.

Equipped with a 6.8L, V-10 gaseous fuel prep engine with hardened valves, the performance of the propane-powered chassis cab is comparable to the gasoline-powered version - except with lower emissions.

The propane-powered chassis cab meets the ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) standard and will be cleaner than most vehicles, even passenger cars, on the road today. It can help fleet managers meet alternative fuel vehicle requirements under both the Clean Fuel Fleet Program and the Energy Policy Act mandates.

Ford is offering a $1,500 incentive on both the F-150 pick-up and the Super Duty chassis cab powered by propane. All Ford propane-powered vehicles have the same three-year/36,000 mile, bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage as gasoline products and are sold through all Ford dealers in the U.S. Interested Canadian buyers may purchase the propane-powered F-150 from their local dealers as well.