Are you in the marketplace for thegreenest vehicleyou can drive that is n’t a 10 - speed cycle ? Natural gas - powered car could be both clear and cheap to run than gasoline or diesel powered machine — theoretically at least . This class a natural accelerator pedal powered car was even namedGreen Car of the Yearby the Green Car Journal . So why are n’t natural gas powered car popular with consumers ?
If you don’t build it, they can’t come
The want of infrastructure is one of the biggest reasons that instinctive gas powered vehicles have n’t exact off . Unlike gasolene and Rudolf Diesel fuel , you ca n’t come up a natural gaseous state place on every recess . Today there are less than 1,000 born gaseous state ( CNG ) fueling stations in the U.S. , but some states do n’t even have one , which would make it jolly problematical to take a transversal - country route trip . Akso unlike gasoline and diesel , owners of natural gas cars can refuel their automobile in their own garage . But in Holy Order to do this , owners will require to pay for the system that enables this and the extra toll to have it instal .
The cost comparison
The price of CNG fuel averages a little more than one-half of what a gallon of petrol would cost . In July of this year the monetary value of CNG was $ 2.89 compared to $ 3.80 for gasolene in San Diego , Calif. refuel a natural accelerator vehicle at home using a home plate unit will throw off that price even further , but are those gain enough to motivate buyers to choose a instinctive - gas powered vehicle over a comparable gasoline - powered model ?
innate gas - powered vehicle cost more than their gasoline - powered counterparts . Currently Honda is the only auto manufacturer that deal a natural - gasolene powered example in the U.S. The 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas set out at $ 26,155 , while a comparably outfit , gasoline - powered Civic EX lists for around $ 20k . ( The Hybrid start at $ 24k . ) Is the almost $ 6k premium over the Civic EX deserving it ?
Most buyer would probably say no , since there are more sacrifices in addition to the surplus cost . TheCivic Natural Gaslooks identical to the gasolene power Civic and is powered by the same 1.8L engine , but sincenatural gasis less energy intensive than gasoline , the four - cylinder only puts out 110 horsepower compared to 140 HP . The 2012 Civic Natural Gas has an EPA rating of 27 mpg in the urban center and 38 mpg on the main road ( gasolene - gal equivalent ) , but it only has a range of up to 240 miles , which is pretty low compared to the 500 miles you could travel in the gasoline - power Civic . ( The electricChevy Volt , by comparison , has a350 - mile cooking stove . ) Cargo mass in the Civic Natural Gas also drops by one-half , since the CNG tank that holds the fuel takes up most of the space .
Who’s buying it?
According to Honda the masses that do buy the Natural Gas Civic are older and wealthier than the stock Civic emptor . The Natural Gas Civic emptor ’ average age is 52 with $ 225,000 median family income compared to the gasoline Civic buyer at 43 years old with a median household income of $ 65,000 . evidently most economically minded buyers are turned off by the gamy costs and modified reach of the Natural Gas Civic .
Right nownatural - gas vehiclesare more democratic as fleet cars , but will natural gas elevator car ever be as popular as loanblend and electric cars ? Natural gas cars could be an option to pricierelectric railway car , since both vehicles have special range , but cross will continue to be the wiser choice at least until there are more re - fueling station . For now , gas - power railway car will principally attract to consumers that are interested in greener driving and who are willing to plow with the drawback .
