This is a move that many Ford's customers have been waiting a long time to see come to pass. For example, oil and gas producer Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE: PXD ) has been buying Ford built trucks for years. However, its employees have been clamoring for a natural gas-powered F-150 because the larger F-250 and F-350 models are currently equipped to run on natural gas don't suit their lifestyles. The smaller F-150 on the other hand is perfect as it's "slightly smaller and fits more easily in the family garage," according to Lynn Lyons of Pioneer Natural Resources.

While she personally drives the F-250, which is the smallest F-Series truck Ford currently offers that can run on natural gas, her co-workers are waiting for the day when they can get their hands on an F-150. Lynn, who is in charge of purchasing trucks for Pioneer, has said that, "If I had F-150s that run on natural gas right now, we would have a large amount of employees" buy them for personal use.

The reason is pretty simply, as an oil and natural gas producer, Pioneer's employees know where its profits come from. That's why Pioneer wants to run its trucks on natural gas. Not only that, but as Lynn points out, "We can run them on our own fuel and it's less than $1 a gallon for us. You feel like you're the dairy farmer drinking your own milk."

"Fourth, we've established co-marketing partnerships that we believe are beginning to take root. We have partnered with a provider and integrator of CNG systems for the Ford F-150 and 250 family of trucks. We have partnered with an aftermarket provider of systems that will enable us to sell CNG fuel systems into an existing 4 million heavy-duty vehicle market in the United States."