CNG is compressed natural gas. CNG is a gaseous fuel and is a mixture of hydrocarbons (Primarily Methane). The gas is filled at a CNG station in a cylinder permanently fitted to your vehicle.
- CNG is cost effective compared to alternate fuels such as petrol, diesel, Auto LPG, etc.
- It ensures longer engine life.
- It is a safe & environment friendly fuel.
More than 3.3 lakh vehicles are successfully running on CNG and are being serviced by 335 CNG stations across India. In Surat, Ankleshwar & Bharuch about 80000 vehicles run on CNG.
CNG gives more mileage for lesser money. 1 Kg of CNG is equivalent to 1.7 Ltr. of Auto LPG & 1.6 Ltr of Petrol. It means CNG price which is currently Rs. 24.80/Kg is equivalent to Rs. 14.58/Ltr. Compared to Rs. 28.15/Ltr of Auto LPG & CNG price is 15.5Ltr. compared to 47.92/Ltr. of petrol. (Please put existing prices post increase by the GoI)
The maximum pressure in a CNG cylinder is 200 bar. CNG cylinders are made of seamless steel in order to withstand the high pressure. CNG cylinders are tested and approved by the Chief Controller of Explosives (GOI). They are indeed safe for refueling.
CNG is a gaseous fuel, it improves the combustion process by completely mixing with air and generates less smoke and carbon, compared with other fuels. In fact, using CNG extends the life of lubricating oil as CNG does not contaminate or dilute crankcase oil. CNG enters the engine as gas, unlike petrol that comes in as spray or mist and washes down the lubricating oil from the piston ring area which raises the rate of engine wear & tear. Hence, CNG reduces maintenance costs and prolongs engine life.
Automobile majors like Ford, General Motors and TATA have introduced cars with CNG option. Other car manufacturers too are planning the same.
Economic benefit: The cost of CNG is almost a third of the cost of petrol in terms of calorific value resulting in substantial saving in fuel cost. Investment on the CNG kit gets recovered within a short period.
Environment friendly: The use of CNG as a fuel reduces vehicular exhaust emissions significantly. Carbon Monoxide emissions are reduced by 70 % to 90 % and hydrocarbon emissions by 40 % to 60 %, as compared to vehicles that use the conventional fuel of petrol. Carbon-dioxide emissions, a cause for global warming, are also reduced significantly by 10 %.
100% Income Tax depreciation: Corporate organisations, firms, etc. can claim 100% depreciation on a CNG conversion kit as this is a pollution controlling equipment. Organisations that buy CNG conversion kits should consult their Income Tax consultants and avail of the depreciation benefits.
Flexibility and ease of use: The basic engine characteristics of a vehicle are retained while converting it to run on CNG. The vehicle, therefore, is capable of running either on petrol or CNG at the flick of a switch on its dashboard.
No. An approved CNG kit can be fitted in your vehicle through any RTO authorized garage in just a few hours (refer to List of Approved CNG Kit Suppliers). The CNG kits available are Landi Renzo, Tomaseto Achille, Lovato, Tartarini, Bedini, Tartarini, Zavoli and others that have been approved by ARAI / VRDE.
• Cylinder: The cylinder is used to store CNG at a working pressure of 200 bar. It is fitted with a shut-off valve and a safety burst disc. The cylinders are type approved by the Chief Controller of Explosives, Government of India.
• Vapour bag: Fitted onto the cylinder, the vapour bag is used to enclose the cylinder valve and the pipes connecting it and is vented out of the car.
• High-pressure pipe: The high pressure pipe connects the refuelling valve to the CNG Cylinder and pressure regulator.
• Refuelling valve: The refueling valve is used to refuel the CNG cylinder.
• Pressure regulator: The pressure regulator has a solenoid valve to shut-off gas supply to the engine. The CNG stored at a high pressure in the cylinder is reduced to just below atmospheric pressure by the unit. This negative pressure is also a safety feature
that will not allow gas to pass through when the engine is not running
• Gas-air mixer: The Gas-air mixer is a unique component, specially designed to suit each engine model. It precisely meters gas fed into the engine
• Petrol-solenoid valve: The petrol-solenoid valve is used to cut off petrol supply to the engine when it is run on CNG.
• Selector switch: The selector switch is fitted at the dashboard, enabling the driver to choose either the CNG mode or the petrol mode of operation. The electronics built into this unit also ensures safety by switching off the gas solenoid whenever the engine is switched off. It also serves as a fuel indicator for the quantity of CNG available in the cylinder.
CNG gives more mileage for lesser money. 1 Kg of CNG is equivalent to 1.7 lit of AutoLPG & 1.6 ltrs of Petrol. So, when 1 Kg of CNG is filled, the CNG car gives roughly 1.6 times of more mileage as compare to the same Petrol Car.
The cost of CNG car is Rs 34,000 upwards. This is inclusive of all taxes, VAT, labour charges, octroi and RTO passing. The loan facilities for CNG kits are available through ICICI Bank, Surat People’s Co-operative Bank and Prime Bank etc. The savings with CNG are so high that the cost of kit will be paid back in just a few months.
The petrol carburetor is retained during conversion for CNG so that the vehicle can run on petrol. A switch on the dashboard allows one to make instant changes of fuel sources.
An LPG-fuelled vehicle will not run on CNG as the two fuels are different from each other, have differing calorific values and need different air-fuel ratios for combustion. CNG has to be stored at relatively higher pressure in a cylinder than LPG, so the same cylinder cannot be used for both gases. A vehicle will need specific conversion for CNG operation.
No, a vehicle running on CNG is as odour-free as a car running on petrol. If any odour is found that is similar to domestic natural gas in a CNG vehicle, then the incident should be reported immediately to authorised workshop for a leakage check.
Gasoline vehicles converted to natural gas are subject to a small power loss when running on natural gas. However, vehicles designed specifically to run on natural gas will have no loss of power and may even have greater power and efficiency. Natural gas has a 130 octane rating, compared with 87 to 96 octane rating of gasoline.
Four key features make CNG a safer fuel than petrol, diesel or LPG. With specific gravity of 0.587, it is lighter than air so in case of leakages, it rises up and dissipates into air. Other fuels form puddles on the ground in case of leakages. CNG has a 700 degree Centigrade ignition temperature compared to 455 degree Centigrade for petrol. The range of 4 to 14 % in which CNG mixes with air by volume for combustion is small. The storage is far safer than for petrol as CNG cylinders are designed and built from special materials and to high safety specifications.
CNG is a gaseous fuel and it improves the combustion process by completely mixing with air and generates less smoke and carbon than other fuels. In fact, use of CNG extends the life of the lubricating oil as CNG does not contaminate or dilute crankcase oil. CNG enters the engine as gas unlike petrol that comes in as spray or mist and washes down the lubricating oil from the piston ring area which raises the rate of engine wear and tear. As a result, CNG reduces the maintenance cost and prolongs the life of engine.
Ford, General Motors, Hyundai and TATA have introduced cars with CNG make and other car manufacturers are also planning for the same.