If batteries are too expensive for long enough range, a CNG REEV could still give homeowners the option to never visit the gas pump. If your home station has a CNG compressor and an EV plug then you could recharge and refuel at the same time, and not have to go to the gas station even if you sometimes went past your EV only range. If we had more commercial CNG refueling infrastructure then you could expect less possibility for fuel price gouging because they would be competing with home refueling. CNG is inherently more clean burning than gasoline.
By the way, I wonder about carpool lane stickers for gasoline REEVs… Since they have the gasoline ICE I bet they don’t get stickers even if you tried to argue that the ICE is rarely used. In California EVs and CNGs are already entitled to carpool privs so I imagine a CNG REEV would be able to get a carpool sticker as a CNG vehicle (even though it ran on batteries most of the time).
I had a propane (similar to CNG) car for a while, and it has a number of benefits. Engine parts tend to last longer because the CNG evaporates and burns more cleanly leaving less deposits in the engine. You don’t need detergents in your fuel to try to keep the engine clean. Spark plugs last longer. Oil stays cleaner. I bet CNG is a better fuel for long term storage (if the ICE rarely fired up) compared to gasoline as well.
The discussions I have seen of the last few months suggested to me that many auto upstarts are giving in to the idea that they have to embrace the convenience of the existing gasoline refueling infrastructure. I hope we can get away from that even if it doesn’t mean 100% BEV just yet.
..."The EPA says the Civic GX has the cleanest internal combustion it has ever tested."...
Come on Honda - how about a GX series hybrid. The benefits of CNG with even better fuel mileage and plug in capability.
A gasoline free road trip would be more tolerable if you could refuel/recharge from either CNG or electric depending on what you can find.
By the way, I wonder about carpool lane stickers for gasoline REEVs… Since they have the gasoline ICE I bet they don’t get stickers even if you tried to argue that the ICE is rarely used. In California EVs and CNGs are already entitled to carpool privs so I imagine a CNG REEV would be able to get a carpool sticker as a CNG vehicle (even though it ran on batteries most of the time).
I had a propane (similar to CNG) car for a while, and it has a number of benefits. Engine parts tend to last longer because the CNG evaporates and burns more cleanly leaving less deposits in the engine. You don’t need detergents in your fuel to try to keep the engine clean. Spark plugs last longer. Oil stays cleaner. I bet CNG is a better fuel for long term storage (if the ICE rarely fired up) compared to gasoline as well.
The discussions I have seen of the last few months suggested to me that many auto upstarts are giving in to the idea that they have to embrace the convenience of the existing gasoline refueling infrastructure. I hope we can get away from that even if it doesn’t mean 100% BEV just yet.
..."The EPA says the Civic GX has the cleanest internal combustion it has ever tested."...
Come on Honda - how about a GX series hybrid. The benefits of CNG with even better fuel mileage and plug in capability.
A gasoline free road trip would be more tolerable if you could refuel/recharge from either CNG or electric depending on what you can find.
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