CHALLENGES

The main barriers to the use of natural gas vehicles are their high capital cost and the lack of a refueling infrastructure (2) (8). These may be reduced through increased market penetration. Introduction of CNG vehicles and fueling and service infrastructure should ideally be dealt with together in a coordinated approach.

In many countries, diesel fuel is subsidized relative to other fuels. The combination of high fuel efficiency for diesel fueled buses along with the low price of diesel fuel, often results in much higher operating costs for CNG relative to diesel.

According to (1), the disadvantages of natural gas include the following:

* Greater difficulty in distribution and storage
* Shorter driving range
* Greater weight of the fuel tank (gas cylinder)
* Longer refueling time, especially if using a slow fill refueling system
* Backfire in the inlet manifold.

These factors should be considered in the further technological development.

Izvor: Clean Air Initiative