Natural Gas for the smart?

[GHammerly]

The one thing I want most is a dual fuel car, the Honda Civic GX is a great car but it's limited to Natural Gas only.
If car manufacturers and the EPA are so concerned about pollution I think a better solution would be dual fuel vehicles.
Instead of a car that runs on 100% natural gas how about a car with a large gasoline tank and a small Compressed Natural Gas (GNG) tank large enough for 50 to 100 mile range on CNG.
I know this is convenient only for those who live where there are many natural gas filling stations or have natural gas in their home, still a significant % of folk could benefit from this.

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by GHammerly

The one thing I want most is a dual fuel car, the Honda Civic GX is a great car but it's limited to Natural Gas only.
If car manufacturers and the EPA are so concerned about pollution I think a better solution would be dual fuel vehicles.
Instead of a car that runs on 100% natural gas how about a car with a large gasoline tank and a small Compressed Natural Gas (GNG) tank large enough for 50 to 100 mile range on CNG.
I know this is convenient only for those who live where there are many natural gas filling stations or have natural gas in their home, still a significant % of folk could benefit from this.

GHammerly....
A more appropriate and even cleaner dual fuel car would be a gas/electric car, commonly called a plug-in hybrid. The gasoline engine would be the range extender and the electric used for short tripping within your neighborhood or commuting to work. There has been alot of lip service associated with this concept....lets see how well it matures.

My plan is to trade up to this when the time comes. I hope the Smart comes out with it, too. In reading EVWorld almost daily, in the next few years there may be loads of EV's and PHEV's available to buy. I just hope you don't have to sell your left arm to afford it but as things go, this will probably be the case. We can only hope for some reality pricing .....

John

[GHammerly]

John, I like the EV combined with a conventional gas engine too but think it would be heavy and expensive, batteries should have to last long enough to recover the investment cost to make it wothwhile and the weight of the whole system can be a problem.
A CNG conversion should be cheaper and lighter, last month I paid $1.10 per Therm, the equivalent of one gallon of gasoline is 1.25 Therms so winter time CNG gallon equivalent was $1.37 last month.

[gusfraga]

.
Instead of a car that runs on 100% natural gas how about a car with a large gasoline tank and a small Compressed Natural Gas (GNG) tank large enough for 50 to 100 mile range on CNG.

You do not have to wait for anything
It is possible to buy the GNC kits in Europe for the smart( particularly Italy, France and Germany or in Argentina ( very cheap)
The problem is installation...
Regards
Gus

[GHammerly]

Hmm. Argentina? I'm going there for my class reunion in July.

[Chrisman]

well I think we all love our Smarts. and we don't want another EV1 problem and permanent recall.

Watch "Who killed the Electric Car"

[drifter28]

Well probably smarts cars are great..Have no problem with it

[bumblebee]

baked beans, garlic, hot sauce, onion to create natural gas


sorry couldn't resist with the title of this thread. my mind is in the gutter already.

[GHammerly]

Originally Posted by bumblebee

baked beans, garlic, hot sauce, onion to create natural gas


sorry couldn't resist with the title of this thread. my mind is in the gutter already.

I knew some one would think of the other natural gas!
This would be way to complicated, a methane recovery system.

Gas, ups! Gus...