$1 Gas for Clean Burning Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs)

NGV Benefits

 

Clean Burning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Vehicles (NGVs) are hot commodities in some parts of the country, where fuel can sell for as low as $0.63 per gallon.

 

Unlike some very exotic or tiny cars (eg VW’s 285 MPG bullet), the Honda Civic  is a standard passenger vehicle. What makes it special is what you don’t see: tailpipe emissions that are often cleaner than ambient air.

 

The Civic  is powered by compressed natural gas—methane—the simplest and cleanest-burning hydrocarbon available. With an economical 113-hp, 1.8-Liter engine, the EPA has called the Civic the “world’s cleanest internal-combustion vehicle” with 90% cleaner emissions than the average gasoline-powered car on the road in 2004.

 

Amazingly,  in Utah, natural gas can be purchased for under 65 cents per gallon!

 
People buy CNG vehicles and have CNG pumps installed in their garages for the primary reason of saving money. Yeah, helping the environment is great and all, but if it wasn’t economical in the slightest then no one would adopt the technology and fuel.

But in order to save some money, you’ll need to spend some extra money at the start.  Look at the CNG-powered Honda Civic, for example: A 2012 Honda Civic GX (the CNG model) has a starting MSRP of $26,305, compared to the base, gas-powered 2013 Honda Civix LX at $18,165. That’s a huge difference in price, but if you’re a serious commuter, then you would break even in as little as a couple of years. Of course buying used is usually a great option as to retain greater vehicle value over the long haul, but even a used GX could cost as much as a brand new LX.

However, consider that it’s much more than just fuel cost that saves you money when you own a CNG vehicle. Because the fuel is cleaner, it causes less strain on the components the fuel system directly interacts with. Thus, oil changes are less frequent (suggested every 10,000 to 15,000 miles), and overall vehicle maintenance could potentially be cheaper, too.

The initial savings are apparent the first time you top off the tank. I was dropping $200 to $250 a month on gas alone. Going CNG saves me as much as $210 a month, since weekly fillups for the GX rarely top $8. I’m also getting much better gas mileage with the Civic, which also helps. Doing quick math, my wife and I are going from spending $3,000 a year on fuel to about $390. In about three years, the price difference for the GX is pretty much covered.

You can drop about $10,000 and get most any vehicle converted to CNG. So, if you really love your Mazda or Benz, but want to go CNG, consider a (pricey) conversion.

 

Drawbacks

Finding fueling stations is the big drawback, expecially on long trips. There are only about 1500 CNG stations in the use. There are websites out there to help you plan your CNG-powered trip. Like the Alternative Fuels Data Center and CNG Now. For those with smartphones, the CNG Fuel Finder app is a must for a long-distance drive. 






There are two other things to consider when weighing the purchase of a CNG-powered vehicle: The tank must be inspected by a certified technician every three years, and tanks have a shelf life of 15 to 20 years. I spoke with a technician at Fowler Honda in Norman who said an inspection costs $115 and takes about 90 minutes to perform. He couldn’t quote me on the tank replacement, citing that they’ve not had to replace one yet.

 

Natural Gas Supplies

 

Then, of course, there’s the question of natural gas supply. According to the NGVA, worldwide supply of natural gas is vast, almost limitless, assuming we can tap into methane hydrate ice formations at the bottom of the arctic oceans.

Also promising is the potential of bio-methane, or the production of methane from the natural breakdown of plant material, something already captured by landfills in the US. The NGVA says that waste biomass could supply enough natural gas for about 11 million natural gas vehicles, which is approximately 5% of the nation’s automotive fleet.  

 

 

 Dr. Longwell