For Consumers

More and more consumers are looking for an alternative to gasoline and diesel. One option is to fuel up with natural gas. Before making the switch to natural gas, however, you will want to make sure that there is a nearby location where you can fuel your vehicle.

A growing number of fleets – ATT, Verizon, UPS, and Federal Express – are switching to natural gas, and that is helping to boost the number of locations selling natural gas as a transportation fuel. So this increases the opportunity for consumers to use natural gas as well. California leads the way, with 238 locations selling natural gas, but there are almost 1,000 locations nationwide selling natural gas as a transportation fuel. About half of these are open to the public. The other locations are owned by businesses, municipalities or school districts where public access isn’t feasible.

Here are the important things to consider in buying a natural gas powered vehicle:

Cost

Natural gas vehicles cost more than gasoline or diesel powered vehicles, but they save more on fuel costs. The cost of natural gas has been much less than the cost of crude oil, which is used to make gasoline and diesel. Just like the price of gasoline or diesel, the price may be different from station to station. Click here for the federal government’s latest cost comparisons with gasoline and diesel.

Vehicle availability

The CNG powered Honda Civic GX, which will be called the Honda Civic Natural Gas beginning with the 2012 model, is the only natural gas powered passenger vehicle that comes off the assembly line. The vehicle, which is manufactured in Indiana,has been recognized by the U.S. EPA as the cleanest commercially available, internal-combustion vehicle on earth. Check with Honda to see if there is an authorized dealer in your area.

In addition, there are several companies that specialize in converting vehicles—cars, vans and pickup trucks -- to run on natural gas. These small volume manufacturers work with qualified installers in locations around the country to covert vehicles to run on natural gas. Typically the vehicles are new or very low mileage. These vehicles may be dedicated or bi-fuel. Dedicated vehicles run solely on natural gas while bi-fuel vehicles run on either natural gas or gasoline, requiring two separate tanks.

Both the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board require manufacturers of conversion equipment to prove that the conversions meet emissions and onboard vehicle diagnostics interface requirements. It is against the law to tamper with emissions systems on vehicles if it results in greater emissions, so consumers need to look to these certified manufacturers for conversion systems.

Fueling

There are two options for fueling your vehicle: filing up at a nearby location or buying a home refueling unit that taps into your home’s natural gas supply.

Public access: Typically consumers think about switching to natural gas when they find a nearby station that sells natural gas to the public, known simply as a public access station

While some will look like the traditional service station at busy intersections, others may be located off the highways with a single pump and a credit card reader. In some instances, only authorized users may access the pump, requiring you to make arrangements with the fuel supplier. These locations offer fast fueling, which takes about five minutes. First time users should get a lesson in how to use this pump, since fueling with a compressed gas is slightly different than fueling with a liquid fuel – - the natural gas fueling connector uses a tight, closed connection that is secured prior to fueling.

There are several websites, including the U.S. Department of Energy, that identify locations that sell natural gas. You can even download station locations to you smart-phone.

Home refueling: If your home is heated with natural gas, you can buy a home refueling system designed to fill your vehicle overnight. Gas from the same supply line that feeds your house is compressed and stored onboard the vehicle by this vehicle fueling appliance. One unit is called Phill. With the continuing interest in natural gas as a transportation fuel, more manufacturers are expected to enter the market for home refueling.

Home refueling gives the consumers added advantage of no longer needed to go to a local fueling station to refuel their car, a convenience many consumers enjoy.

Incentives

There may be both federal and state incentives to help offset the higher upfront cost of a natural gas vehicle. Click here for specific details on federal incentives.

Some states also provide incentives for purchases of natural gas vehicles. Click here to find specific information about your state.

Emission reductions

Natural gas is the cleanest burning alternative transportation fuel commercially available today. When used as transportation fuel, natural gas can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 – 29 percent compared with diesel and gasoline fueled vehicles, respectively, according to studies by the California Air Resources Board and other organizations. Click here for a complete discussion of emissions reductions from natural gas vehicles.