Vehicle Options: NGVs Serve an Unmatched Range of Users

The breadth of natural gas vehicle options is unmatched by any other alternative fuel vehicle.

Cleaner goods movement

All kinds of delivery fleets use NGVs, and the state’s major ports see natural gas–powered trucks as a key part of their plans to cut port-related pollution.

The best garbage trucks

Moving from diesel trucks to NGVs is the most effective way to alleviate the pollution problems caused by refuse hauling, according to the nonprofit environmental research organization INFORM. NGVs dramatically cut air pollutant emissions and noise, improving the quality of life for city residents and refuse workers.

Clean bus and van transit

Transit and school bus operators continue to favor NGVs. By 2005, natural gas powered about 4,100 transit buses in California—about 50 percent of the state’s transit fleet. Natural gas vans, shuttles and taxis also are helping California airports reduce their emissions.

The easiest commute

Californians who use a CNG-powered Honda Civic GX drive the greenest vehicle on the market, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. They also can save time and money by refueling at home and using carpool lanes even when driving alone.

Natural gas engines on sale now meet the needs of most heavy-duty vehicle users, and light-duty NGV options are likely to increase if California leads the way with its own purchasing and NGV-favorable policies. All major automakers sell light-duty NGVs in Europe, South America and Asia in response to government policies.

Photo credits: station courtesy Clean Energy Fuels;
van courtesy Baytech Corp.