Based on current market conditions, CNG delivers considerable fuel savings of around 50%, when compared to conventional diesel or gasoline.

For example, assuming a price difference between gasoline and CNG of $1.90 per gallon, a Chevolet Impala taxi running on CNG at 25 MPG and traveling 100,000 miles per year saves over $7000 in fuel in just one year, compared to the same vehicle using conventional gasoline.

When compared to less fuel efficient gasoline vehicles such as shuttle buses and passenger vans, these savings are even greater. A typical shuttle bus operating on CNG instead of conventional gasoline or diesel stands to save upwards of $10,000 per year (assuming 10 MPG and 50,000 miles traveled per year).

Moreover, natural gas prices are projected to increase at a much slower rate over the the next 25 years than are petroleum prices. This means the cost advantage of choosing CNG will only grow.

Natural gas vehicles produce significantly lower harmful emissions, including nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and toxic and carcinogenic pollutants, compared to gasoline and diesel vehicles. And because natural gas contains less carbon than any other fossil fuel, CNG vehicles produce lower emissions of carbon dioxide, a principle greenhouse gas. In fact, by efficiently displacing conventional gasoline and diesel, CNG vehicles go further than any other alternative fuel in achieving the goal to reduce harmful air pollution and greenhouse gases.

Light-Duty Vehicle Emissions: CNG vs. Gasoline

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calculated the potential benefits of CNG versus gasoline, based on the inherently cleaner-burning characteristics of natural gas. It was determined that CNG vehicles:

While stricter environmental regulations have forced automakers to continuously work to improve the emissions performance of gasoline vehicles, CNG vehicles have consistently kept their emissions performance well ahead of government standards. Results from tests comparing the emissions of light-duty CNG vehicles and light-duty gasoline vehicles can be found at the Vehicle Technologies Emissions Testing page.

For more in-depth analyses of natural gas vehicle emissions versus conventional fuel emissions, please see the AFDC Natural Gas Emissions page.

To help ease the monetary demands of converting and operating your vehicle on CNG, tax incentives are often available at both the federal and state levels. Below is a brief summary of some primary incentive opportunities. You can also find an up-to-date list of available incentives from the Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center.

WASHINGTON STATE TAX EXEMPTIONS

Available To:

Any person.

Qualifying Activity:

Purchase or lease of a new passenger car, light duty truck, and medium duty passenger vehicle that is powered exclusively by clean alternative fuels between January 1, 2009, and July 1, 2015.

Purchase or lease of a new passenger car, light duty truck, and medium duty passenger vehicle that is powered exclusively by a high gas mileage hybrid between January 1, 2009, and July 31, 2009.

Qualifying hybrids remain exempt from the additional 0.3% motor vehicle sales/use tax through December 31, 2010.

Reporting/Documentation Requirements:

Clean alternative fuel exemption expires July 1, 2015. Please refer to the Washington State Legislature for more information.