Posted on 08/31/2012 8:27:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
With everything, that’s not including future demand. Prices will go up. It will be interesting if it will remain cheaper than gasoline.
What coupons were these?
The conversion is easy and the vehicles reliable. Even growing up in the early 80’s there were a small number of farmers that had LP equipped pickup trucks.
The downside, besides pressurized fueling, is that LP isn’t as powerful as gasoline. I assume that means less miles per gallon, as well as a little less pep. Therefore, the comparison needs to be on cost per mile, not per gallon.
Sometimes when I can’t get an old mower to start, I take off the aircleaner and set up a propane torch to dump raw LP into the air intake. It ALWAYS fires right up and runs like hell. A minute or two at high RPM cleans out the carbon, etc. and they then run great.
Companies like UPS are going big into natural gas for their trucks. When enough do, it will reduce the demand for gasoline, reducing the cost.
And, they are doing it without federal govt support. If anything, the federal govt is getting in the way, because natural gas is at odds with Obamas vision of electric vehicles.
Companies like UPS are converting vehicles from Diesel to NatGas, so the price of gasoline will not be effected, much if any. The price of diesel might go down, though.
you can buy kits to do so for about $200, IIRC, making it tri-fuel(gas,propane,CNG)
I worked for a city in So. Cal., and they provided cars to groups of employees who would commit to long-term car pooling. Had to be groups of 3+ in one car. The cars were CNG fueled — Civics, I think.
What a pain. Running out of gas was not an option, since CNG fuel stations were sparse, and you can’t just have someone bring a gallon. Fueling took for-EV-er, and you couldn’t count on the two pumps to work when you needed to fill up. And it wasn’t like fill-ups were less frequent than with a regular car.
(Still, I’m grateful for the money we saved over the three years I participated. It was a great benefit.)
More manufacturers are offering CNG bi-fuel or dealer installed conversions.
CNG is simplier than e-fuel injection, so no extra issues with mechanic.
More CNG stations are coming online.
NG abundance for long forseeable future and methane is renewable.
It does give lowered miles per gallon, but not lowered enough to offset the per gallon cost differential.
Engines run cleaner, less maintenance.
As to trunk space, my preference would be a CNG pickup, not a dinky car.
“As to trunk space, my preference would be a CNG pickup, not a dinky car.”
I’m not interested in a dinky car, either. I need a car to transport wife and kids, and our stuff, in decent comfort for a long trip. I’m thinking of a CNG Crown Victoria , WITH A USABLE TRUNK!
For CNG to take off, we need coupes, trucks, sedans, wagons, hardtops, SUVs, vans .., ALL of it.
If you could get the right equipment, you could install a compressor / tank assembly that pressurizes the gas in your home gas line and fill up from the house.
Don’t like the idea of gubmit subsidy, but to make such a significant change from gasoline to CNG, will need tax incentive help to establish infastructure for large trucks and autos/pickups.
If we could move transportation to CNG, it would shut the door to Arab oil imports.
I look for it to happen in the next four years.
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