Knapheide Manufacturing Co. has agreed to build and install custom bodies for Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty cab-chassis trucks equipped with Westport Innovations’ WiNG bi-fuel gasoline-compressed natural gas system.

Westport’s Ready-link process allows the installation of Knapheide service bodies over the Westport WiNG Power System, executives said. This results in savings of time and cost for customers through the use of Ford's single-ship-through delivery system and the convenience of a single dealer contact.

"Our agreement with Knapheide and Ford allows fleets to add trucks that use a clean, domestic fuel while maintaining the safety and quality that our customers have come to expect,” said John Howell, Westport’s senior director, marketing. “With all aspects of the final vehicle now under full warranty accountability, customers can have peace of mind."

Customers can choose the Knap-Link models 696-50J44-WCNG or 696-50FJ44-WCNG, Knapheide's most popular steel service bodies, built to fit around the Westport WiNG equipment, said Chris Weiss, vice president, engineering, at Knapheide.

"With the Knap-Link designed service bodies, we can utilize our extensive distributor network to bring quality upfits to our customers and integrate with the Westport Ready-link compressed natural gas conversion," he said.

After installation of the WiNG Power System on Ford Super Duty trucks at Westport’s Kentucky Integration Center, the trucks are shipped to local Knapheide dealerships for service body upfitting.

Ready-link will be available for order on Ford F-250 and F-350 box-delete trucks with the Westport WiNG Power System beginning April 1, 2013. The Super Duty trucks are equipped with a standard 18.4- or an optional 24.5-gasoline-gallon-equivalent Type-4 composite CNG fuel cylinder, the lightest non-corrosive cylinder design available in the market, Howell said.

Starting at $9,500 per truck, the Westport systems are available exclusively through Westport-authorized Ford dealerships.