Natural gas vehicles use an engine and refueling system that burns compressed natural gas (CNG) rather than gasoline. These vehicles can be dedicated to CNG, or they can be converted from a standard gasoline vehicle to run on both CNG and gasoline or diesel fuel (bi-fuel).

Using natural gas vehicles as fuel cuts exhaust emissions of non-methane organic gases by 89%, carbon monoxide by 70%, nitrogen oxides by 95% and greenhouse gases by 24%. This makes them ideal for fleet applications, where a lower emission profile is required.

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Unlike gasoline and diesel vehicles, which require high compression ratios to get the most out of their engines, NGVs can be powered by smaller, simpler engines with higher torque outputs. This can allow for greater range without sacrificing performance, and the engine’s more responsive nature provides excellent power and driving experience.

In the United States, where most of the nation’s natural gas is produced, there is an abundance of this clean-burning energy source, which can help to limit dependence on foreign oil. Because of this, the cost of natural gas is significantly less than that of gasoline or diesel, which also reduces a vehicle’s overall operating costs.

There are currently more than 175,000 CNG-powered vehicles on the road, but most of them are public fleets like minibuses in major cities or small buses and trucks used by local governments or private companies. A few car manufacturers offer CNG-powered versions of their cars, most notably Honda with its Civic GX through 2015, but most offer it only as an option on their truck and van models.