Official: CNG Powered Civic To Be Rolled-Out Nationwide

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

When the new Honda Civic GX will be available in the U.S., it will come with an option that allows you to bypass all gas stations and to fuel at home. No, it won’t be electric. It will be powered by compressed natural gas ( CNG).

Honda had released a CNG powered Civic GX in California in 1998 and currently offers the car in four states. With the new model, the roll-out will be nationwide. According to The Nikkei [sub], “the decision to go nationwide reflects the heightened interest in environmental cars in the U.S. Natural-gas-propelled cars are seen by some as even greener than all-electric vehicles, because the latter charge their batteries using electricity often generated by fossil-fuel-fired power plants.”

According to Energy Digital, top car manufacturers such as GM and Chrysler are taking CNG powered cars as a serious alternative: “Natural gas cars are far cheaper to produce than lithium-ion powered electric vehicles. For example, the Honda Civic GX CNG will run on compressed natural gas and cost just $25,490 compared to the all-electric Chevy Volt, which will cost $41,000, or the $32,000 Nissan Leaf (both considered the most affordable of commercial electric cars).” If gas reaches your home for cooking or heating, a home fueling station can be put in your garage.

The Civic Natural Gas engine produces almost zero smog-forming emissions and is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle certified by the EPA. The car qualifies for a state-issued decal allowing single-occupant access to high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) “carpool” lanes in California and several other states.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Pacificpom2 Pacificpom2 on May 08, 2011

    Just catching upto New Zealand. That land famed for it's technological prowess.

  • Ronnie Schreiber Ronnie Schreiber on May 08, 2011

    The Phill home CNG refueling appliance is made by Fuelmaker, which Honda owned until carmaggedon in 2008. It's now owned by an Italian company. http://www.impcotechnologies.com/phill-dealers.asp

  • Ronnie Schreiber Ronnie Schreiber on May 08, 2011

    This company has a Phill CNG refueling unit for $4,995 https://www.plumbersstock.com/product/38974

  • Nikita Nikita on May 11, 2011

    We have had several CNG cars, all factory dedicated units, not conversions, in our family over the last decade, so I think I am qualified to comment here. The first was a Ford CV, two Civic GX and a Chevy Cavalier. Upsides, its a regular car, carpool lane stickers, about half the fuel cost of gasoline, "green cred". Downsides, short range, lost trunk space to the huge fuel tank, limited refuel infrastructure. It is similar to an EV in that you cannot drive it on long trips, city car only. As for "Phil", forgettaboutit. When you add up all the costs, purchase, permits, installation, power, and feed gas, divided by its lifetime (it shuts itself down at a set limited life), the numbers just dont work. If you live in Los Angeles, or someplace else that has public refueling stations, a fillup takes no longer and is no more difficult than buying gasoline or diesel at the local Chevron station.

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