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9.5.08
Board approves the purchase of four more CNG automobiles
At their September 3 meeting, the Metropolitan Utilities District Board of Directors approved adding four more dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) automobiles to the M.U.D. fleet of 67 CNG vehicles.
The Honda Civic GX NGVs costs $24,100 each and are less expensive to operate than a standard model. The natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX is recognized by the U.S. EPA as the cleanest commercially available, internal-combustion vehicle. It emits 25 percent less pollution. Using CNG will cost about 6 cents per mile, compared with about 15 cents for gasoline.
Alternative fuel vehicles such as CNGs produce little or no evaporative emissions (i.e. fumes) during fueling and use. In gasoline vehicles, evaporative and fueling emissions can account for at least 50 percent of a vehicle's total hydrocarbon emissions.
Tests have shown that CNG vehicles produce 20-30 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than comparable gasoline vehicles and up to 15 percent less than comparable diesel vehicles.
With rising concern over pollution and imported petroleum, now is the time for a fuel that comes from domestic sources 98 percent of the time. Natural gas costs about $1.52 for the equivalent energy of a gallon of gasoline.
"CNG costs about 50 percent less than gasoline, it emits up to 90 percent less emissions than gasoline, there’s an abundant supply and it’s produced in North America. So it’s affordable, clean, domestic and abundant," said M.U.D. President Tom Wurtz.
According to a 2008 study by Navigant Consulting, North America has at least a 120-year supply of natural gas – contradicting the notion that America is running out. And as large reserves are developed that five years ago weren’t possible to produce, that supply is growing.
About 98 percent of the natural gas we use comes from right here in North America. On the other hand, 70 percent of the oil we use is imported. We export about $1.7 billion a day to pay for this foreign fuel, adding to our trade deficit and weakening the dollar. By using domestic natural gas, we strengthen both our nation’s economy and energy security — keeping jobs and revenues at home.
"We have been contacted by a number of M.U.D. customers who are interested in buying CNG vehicles, however at this time there are no CNG fueling stations in the area," said Wurtz. " It’s up to us, the consumers, to insist that legislators pass more incentives to increase production, insist that automakers produce more CNG vehicles, and provide incentives for retailers to open more CNG stations," he said.
CNG is an EPA-certified alternative fuel that powers more than eight million vehicles on the road today. Unfortunately, only 150,000 of these are in the U.S. There are 12,000 CNG fueling stations around the world, yet the U.S. claims just 1,100. |
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Natural-gas Honda Civic
Price: $24,100 vs. $18,500 for a standard Civic
Mileage: 36 mpg on the highway, 28 in town
Range: 300 miles
Fuel cost per mile: 6 cents vs. 15 cents for a standard Civic
Engine and performance: Same as a standard Civic
Carbon emissions: 25 percent less than standard Civic
Public fueling stations: None in Nebraska or Iowa |
