Natural Gas Vehicles
A natural gas natural gas vehicle (NGV) is a motor vehicle powered by natural gas instead of traditional gasoline or diesel fuel. This is most often referred to as compressed natural gas (CNG), though other fuels such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and renewable biomethane may also be used. NGVs are typically found in public transportation fleets, where the cost of refueling and maintenance can be more favorable than for individual car buyers.
As fracking made domestic production of natural gas competitive with gasoline prices in the mid-2010s, some car manufacturers began offering CNG versions of their vehicles. However, those models were short-lived as gasoline prices fell again, and the only new natural gas passenger cars that are available today are through aftermarket conversions by specialty firms.
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NGVs are divided into two categories based on their refueling system: Dedicated: Designed to operate on only natural gas. Often, this means having a separate fuel tank and fuel delivery system. Bifuel: Designed to run on either gasoline or natural gas and have a dual-fuel engine with the capability to switch between the fuels when needed.
The most common type of NGV is a dedicated natural-gas vehicle. This uses a modified spark ignition engine to ignite methane and air for combustion, which delivers power in the same way as a gasoline-powered car. Most NGVs are fueled through a network of publicly accessible CNG stations, although the refueling process is slower and more cumbersome than with conventional fuels.
