Natural Gas Powered Automobiles

They may not be the most talked about type of cars, but natural gas powered automobiles offer a viable alternative to those people looking for independence from fossil fuels. As things stand at the moment, their popularity, or lack of, is determined by politics and infrastructure rather than lack of potential and viability.

Honda is the only major automaker to produce natural gas powered automobiles in the USA. According to a 2007 USA Today report, it sells 1,000 of its Civic subcompacts in the country, out of a total of 300,000. Corporate and government fleets are the biggest buyers while private consumers can only get them through select dealers in California and New York. In Europe, Asia and South America, other automakers sell natural gas powered automobiles. The USA is home to 150,000 natural gas powered automobiles while worldwide there are 5 million of these vehicles.

The main drawback of natural gas powered automobiles is that there are not enough stations selling natural gas across the country. Besides, their driving range is smaller than their gas-powered counterparts. Their fuel tank is larger, taking up more space in the trunk of the vehicles.

But natural gas powered automobiles also offer attractive advantages. Natural gas costs less than gasoline, there�s an estimated 60-year reserve supply of the stuff (it�s not renewable but there is plenty of it) and about half of American households are equipped for natural gas. It�s also very clean: its exhaust can be cleaner than Los Angeles air on a smoggy day.