Natural
gas, a fossil fuel comprised mostly of methane, is one of the cleanest
burning alternative fuels. It can be used in the form of compressed
natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel cars and
trucks.
Dedicated natural gas vehicles are designed
to run on natural gas only, while dual-fuel or bi-fuel
vehicles can also run on gasoline or diesel. Dual-fuel vehicles
allow users to take advantage of the wide-spread availability of
gasoline or diesel but use a cleaner, more economical alternative
when natural gas is available. Since natural gas is stored in high-pressure
fuel tanks, dual-fuel vehicles require two separate fueling systems,
which take up passenger/cargo space.
Natural gas vehicles are not produced commercially
in large numbers—the Honda
GX CNG is the only new vehicle available in the U.S. However,
conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles can be retrofitted for
CNG.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Natural Gas
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- Nearly 87% of U.S. natural gas used
is domestically produced
- 60-90% less smog-producing pollutants
- 30-40% less greenhouse gas emissions
- Less expensive than gasoline
|
- Limited vehicle availability
- Less readily available than gasoline
& diesel
- Fewer miles on a tank of fuel
|
Additional Information
|