Oklahoma Gov. Fallin to head to Detroit to pitch CNG

Oklahoma joined 12 other states in April in pledging to use the state's purchasing power to help drive the market for CNG vehicles and fueling stations.

“The development of CNG vehicles continues to be hampered by a ‘chicken and egg' scenario,” Fallin said in a prepared statement. “Consumers won't buy CNG vehicles while there is limited fueling infrastructure and high vehicle price points, and manufactures won't wade into the market if there is not sufficient consumer demand.”

Oklahoma hopes to tip the scale by replacing, as necessary, the more than 11,000 state cars with CNG vehicles. The other states that participated in a letter sent to manufacturers in April are: Colorado, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Utah, Maine, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky, Texas, Ohio, Mississippi and Louisiana.

The states pledged to explore “the aggregation of our annual state fleet vehicle procurements to provide an incentive to manufacture affordable, functional natural gas vehicles.”

The letter requested information — a measure below bids or official offers — to help in drafting a multistate solicitation or request for proposals from the auto manufactures for CNG vehicles.