The new 2015 Chevrolet Impala will be made available with a version that runs on either gasoline or compressed natural gas, GM revealed earlier this week.

GM said it will be the only manufacturer to make a bi-fuel sedan available to fleet and retail customers in North America.

Honda currently has a natural-gas vehicle on sale that is sold to consumers, not fleet operators. Its 2013 Honda Civic Natural Gas vehicle is sold for $27,255, including a $790 destination fee.

A bi-fuel vehicle is a compelling choice since it eliminates the struggle of finding a CNG station. There are approximately 1,200 stations nationwide, and only half are open to the public.

The Impala was announced during GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson's address to the OPEC Oil Embargo +40 energy conference.

"Natural gas is a cleaner-burning transportation fuel compared to petroleum products, and costs significantly less than gasoline at current prices," said Akerson.

The U.S. is responsible for approximately 25 percent of Earth's natural gas production. Increasing its use in both fleets and passenger vehicles can help reduce dependence on oil imports, according to GM.

The main issue with CNG-powered cars is the higher cost compared to conventional-fuel vehicles. The average premium is approximately $3,500, according to AllAboutCNGVehicles.com.

"We have teams working on these challenges, and they are squarely focused on commercializing their research," Akerson said.

Pricing for the new vehicle has not been announced by GM.

Expect the new bi-fuel vehicle to go on sale next summer.

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