Natural Gas Vehicles
Natural gas powers about 150,000 vehicles in the United States and roughly 15.2 million vehicles worldwide. Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) are good choices for high-mileage, centrally fueled fleets. CNG tank technology and safety are improving and in many cases CNG can provide operators with adequate range for their operations. For vehicles needing to travel long distances, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a good choice. The advantages of natural gas as a transportation fuel include its domestic availability, widespread distribution infrastructure, low cost, and inherently clean-burning qualities.
CNG and LNG are considered alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The horsepower, acceleration, and cruise speed of NGVs are comparable with those of equivalent conventional vehicles. Also, compared with conventional diesel and gasoline vehicles, NGVs can produce some emissions benefits.
There are many heavy-duty natural gas vehicles—as well as a number of light-duty NGVs—available from original equipment manufacturers. Qualified system retrofitters can also economically, safely, and reliably convert many vehicles for natural gas operation.
Types of Natural Gas Vehicles
There are three types of NGVs:
- Dedicated: These vehicles are designed to run only on natural gas.
- Bi-fuel: These vehicles have two separate fueling systems that enable them to run on either natural gas or gasoline.
- Dual-fuel: These vehicles are traditionally limited to heavy-duty applications, have fuel systems that run on natural gas, and use diesel fuel for ignition assistance.
Light-duty vehicles are typically equipped with dedicated or bi-fuel systems, while heavy-duty vehicles use dedicated or dual-fuel systems. On the vehicle, natural gas is stored in tanks as CNG. LNG, a more expensive option, is used in some heavy-duty vehicles. The form of natural gas used is typically chosen based on the range an application needs. Because it is a liquid, the energy density of LNG is greater than CNG, so more fuel can be stored onboard the vehicle. This makes LNG well-suited for Class 7 and 8 trucks requiring a greater range.
Dedicated NGVs only have one fuel tank, so they aren't as heavy as bi-fuel NGVs and can offer more cargo capacity. The driving range of NGVs is generally less than that of comparable conventional vehicles because of the lower energy density of natural gas. Extra storage tanks can increase range, but the additional weight may displace cargo capacity.
