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I'm interested in your opinions of what the future holds for cng in the USA.
Here is mine:
I really love my bi-fuel cng F-150 truck. I fear however that unless someone comes up with a reasonably priced conversion kit, the future is bleak.
At this time, there is only one source of cng-fuelled vehicles- Honda. They make a fine automobile if you want a cheap small econobox that is only available in dedicated cng form, and therefore only useful for local use, since it does not have room for bigger tanks. IMHO, pickups, vans, or SUV's present the best cng options.
Currently we have profited from a good source of (pickup trucks, mid-size cars, vans) vehicles built 3-10 years ago that have filtered down from various government agency fleets around the country. That source will likely dry up in the next few years as we fight a losing battle of attrition, except for the large busses and garbage trucks currently being converted. The "certified" conversions for other vehicles are terribly expensive... $12,000+ w/tank- high because of monopoly and EPA interference in the marketplace that should not be given the clean burning characteristics of natural gas combustion.
Unless somehow we can get the EPA out of the process, it is unlikely that the big automakers will again provide cng vehicles for the masses. The only future, as I see it, is to go "black market". Personally, I plan to buy one of the non-EPA Argentinian kits and test it as soon as I can find a suitable tank- possibly to convert one of several old vehicles I happen to have available (Bronco or Mercedes) into a bi-fueler to get through the registration hassles.
Here is mine:
I really love my bi-fuel cng F-150 truck. I fear however that unless someone comes up with a reasonably priced conversion kit, the future is bleak.
At this time, there is only one source of cng-fuelled vehicles- Honda. They make a fine automobile if you want a cheap small econobox that is only available in dedicated cng form, and therefore only useful for local use, since it does not have room for bigger tanks. IMHO, pickups, vans, or SUV's present the best cng options.
Currently we have profited from a good source of (pickup trucks, mid-size cars, vans) vehicles built 3-10 years ago that have filtered down from various government agency fleets around the country. That source will likely dry up in the next few years as we fight a losing battle of attrition, except for the large busses and garbage trucks currently being converted. The "certified" conversions for other vehicles are terribly expensive... $12,000+ w/tank- high because of monopoly and EPA interference in the marketplace that should not be given the clean burning characteristics of natural gas combustion.
Unless somehow we can get the EPA out of the process, it is unlikely that the big automakers will again provide cng vehicles for the masses. The only future, as I see it, is to go "black market". Personally, I plan to buy one of the non-EPA Argentinian kits and test it as soon as I can find a suitable tank- possibly to convert one of several old vehicles I happen to have available (Bronco or Mercedes) into a bi-fueler to get through the registration hassles.
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