Compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are considered alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) are either fueled exclusively with CNG or LNG or are capable of natural gas and gasoline fueling (bi-fuel NGVs).  Currently, in our area, four vehicles are fueled by CNG, but worldwide there are over 8 million NGVs on the road.  

What is a Natural Gas Vehicle?

Natural gas vehicles are fueled with compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas.  Like gasoline-powered vehicles, a spark-ignited engine powers light- and heavy-duty NGVs.  Some alternative systems exist for heavy-duty vehicles.  

In general, dedicated NGVs have better performance and lower emissions than bi-fuel NVGs because their engines are optimized to run on natural gas.  Clean Energy^® reports “NGVs typically use one of two varieties of natural gas: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The preferred fueling method for light to medium NGVs, CNG stations dispense between five and ten gallons per minute. Heavy-duty NGVs with weight and range requirements typically fuel up on LNG, which allows them to store more fuel on board with less tank weight. L/CNG stations can service both types of NGVs by converting LNG into CNG.”  

Benefits of Natural Gas Vehicles:

Natural gas is a renewable, domestically available, inherently clean-burning fuel.  Compared with vehicles fueled with conventional diesel and gasoline, NGVs can produce significantly lower amounts of harmful emissions. In addition, some natural gas vehicle owners report service lives two to three years longer than gasoline or diesel vehicles and extended time between required maintenance.

Incentives:CNG and LNG are both considered alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and qualify for alternative fuel vehicle tax credits.  Learn more on our Incentives page. 

Additional Information:

For further reading on Benefits of Natural Gas Vehicles visit http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/vehicles/ natural_gas.html.

For further reading on Fleets, Fuel Stations, and News surrounding natural gas visit http://www.cleanenergyfuels.com.