More than 20 state governors are taking an unusual step to boost the natural gas vehicle industry. Independent of the federal government, they’re asking Detroit carmakers to build them a new kind of car: a midsize sedan that runs on compressed natural gas instead of gasoline.
The governors are hoping to boost demand for natural gas cars with their collective buying power. Combined, the states say they could ultimately buy thousands of CNG vehicles to replace their current vehicle fleets — if those cars were available.
Only a few kinds of vehicles currently run on compressed natural gas in the U.S., and only one, the CNG Honda Civic, is a passenger car. Detroit currently offers no natural gas-fueled passenger cars.
Filling up a natural gas car’s fuel tank is a cinch — if you live in the right place. Ann Arbor, Mich., for example, has two natural gas pumps. But that kind of infrastructure is unusual in the vast majority of U.S. cities.
‘The governors are hoping to boost demand for natural gas cars with their collective buying power. Combined, the states say they could ultimately buy thousands of CNG vehicles to replace their current vehicle fleets — if those cars were available.’
No doubt to replace the fleets of Priuses they bought for the last fad.
Shouldn’t the governors be asking Mexico instead of Detroit?
Silly piece of political propaganda. CNG and bifuel (CNG/gasoline) vehicles and conversions have been around for years. Dual fuel diesel buses have been around for years. Natural gas filling stations have been around for fleet central fueling for years.
I believe the conversion kits are pretty pricey ($6k and up) and the tanks are a grand or so. So why don’t the gov’s just “invest” the taxpayer’s money and start converting? Heck, use a landfill to supply your methane and you are double green. Never mind the extra miles your vehicles have to go to get fueled and the higher cost for processing the gas. You can revel in how green you are.
Not to mention that narural gas fuel has a lower thermal capacity than gasoline. About half that of gasoline