Prius CNG

[sevenechomike]

I found something interesting while surfing the web tonight. Toyota actually created a Prius that ran on CNG in France, entered and won numerous awards in competition.

http://www.gazdefrance.com/EN/A/3161/cng-prius-earns-kudos-for-performance.html

At the Michelin-sponsored Challenge Bibendum 2006, the CNG Prius took first place, ahead of 791 other vehicles ranked for their low well-to-wheel emissions of CO2, CH4, and NO2.

Call Toyota and request they make more!

Rich
Park City, UT

[cngmike]

Re: Prius CNG

Toyota actually has Oked the Prius for conversion in the UK & Europea couple of years ago. It has also Oked the Prius for conversion to run hydrogen here in the US but not natural gas.

[kameron13462]

Re: Prius CNG

Why would Toyota sanction it in Hydrogen but not natural gas? Not that I'm against hydrogen, but CNG is here now???

[freedml]

Re: Prius CNG

Note: Toyota didn't DO the conversions. I'm sure they spent many times the price of the car to do this as a demonstration. And, this car WOULDN'T get carpool stickers in California since it's not on THE LIST.

[cngmike]

Re: Prius CNG

I cant remember the conversion Co. I know the cities of Riverside, Santa Ana & santa Monica all have them. It was part of the state grant that installed the hydrogen stations in these cities. Toyota has a odd history with CNG I dealt with them in their early stages. They made, for a limited time, my favorite CNG vehicle.

[dkellas]

Re: Prius CNG

Forget the Prius cng, how about a good old Ford Escape Hybrid CNG!

[bobmac]

Re: Prius CNG

Cost per mile on a Prius CNG with Utah $.63 cent fuel would be amazing...maybe $.01 or $.02 per mile.

[hansonc]

Re: Prius CNG

Cost per mile on a Prius CNG with Utah $.63 cent fuel would be amazing...maybe $.01 or $.02 per mile.

Doesn't the Honda GX average around that range? I'm getting in the $0.04 range at 17-19mpgge in our Ford Ranger, 50% better mileage should get drivers down to .01-.02 per mile.

[Green GX]

Re: Prius CNG

Doesn't the Honda GX average around that range? I'm getting in the $0.04 range at 17-19mpgge in our Ford Ranger, 50% better mileage should get drivers down to .01-.02 per mile.

Hansonc,

Your're right in the ballpark with your estimate!

I crunched the numbers using this web site.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm

The feds' mileage estimates for an '07 GX are lower than my actual mileage. (There's a single entry in there for a GX that drags down the average.) But, based on 34.5 mpg at .63 cents/gge it works out to 1.8 cents/mile.

Bill

[cngacrossusa]

Re: Prius CNG

Yea, cng Prius would be home-run vehicle, if Toyota had the brains or guts to sell in the USA!!! I contacted Toyota to try and ressurrect the best family-size cng vehicle ever sold in USA - - - dedicated cng Camry that only sold from 1999 to 2001 - - - and Toyota corporate reply was they were pursuing hybrid and improvements to gas ICE engines . . . read between the lines, they are MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY kicking Ford's butt that they don't want to sell any cng is America!!
Thus, BOYCOTT anything Toyota!!!

If Honda will step out and do some more, the Civic hyrid could easily have cng added to it since Honda already sells the only cng vehicle in USA, the Civic GX. Also, Honda could ressurect the Accord Hybrid and add cng to it . . . that would be the killer home-run car that the Camry could have been.

Finally, Honda could add cng to the Ridgeline - - like in the storage bin location that currently is being advertised on cable TV!!! Adding the Ridgeline as cng, in addition to keeping the Civic GX, Civic GX hybrid, Accord hybrid cng, and Accord dedicated cng vehicles, would VAULT Honda OVERNITE to become the number one green vehicle manufacturer in US history !!!! Yes, let's put pressure on Honda to make that happen. I Believe in Honda . . . they are the USA's only hope!! CALL, WRITE, EMAIL, etc. any and everyone you know at Honda and let them know WE WANT these products in USA . . . Curtis, can you help!!??!!

[cngacrossusa]

Re: Prius CNG

Yes, bi-fuel cng Prius would be home-run vehicle in USA if only Toyota had the guts to take on EPA, Big Oil, & Pres Son-of-A-Bush to actually sell cng vehicles here in USA. Toyota had the best family cng vehicle EVER sold in USA from 1999 to 2001 with the dedicated cng Camry. However, Toyota abandoned cng for USA after 2001.

Thus, my advice is BOYCOTT Toyota and other auto makers that have abandoned cng for USA. Most especially those that actually DO sell cng in other countries like Europe or Asia (examples of these two-faced corporations are GM, Ford, Nissan, VW, and Mercedes).

As for me, I will only buy Honda as they have guts to keep selling the Civic GX in USA from 1998 straight thru to today, and now are reaping the benefits as Civic GX is highly sought after in 2008 with large waiting lists.

[camryman]

Re: Prius CNG

I like the 4x4 hybrid cng escape idea or how about a highlander cng hybrid or my favorite a hybrid cng camry. The camry would be big with a functional trunk and make it a plugin!!!! Cost per mile would be very cheap!!!!!