There is another alternative to diesel and petrol that is less in the public eye, but definitely worth a closer look: the natural gas vehicle. Here you can read about the advantages and disadvantages of natural gas cars.

Natural gas car: environmentally friendly!

Natural gas cars, also known as CNG vehicles (CNG stands for compressed natural gas), are primarily characterized by their environmental friendliness, because the emissions of nitrogen oxides and fine dust are zero. So the owner of a natural gas car doesn’t need to worry about driving bans and environmental zones. The carbon dioxide emissions of a natural gas car are also significantly lower than those of vehicles with a diesel or combustion engine, which (see below) has tax advantages.

Natural gas car: cheap?

It’s environmentally friendly – but what about the costs? Anyone considering buying a CNG car should take a close look, with a view.

  • Acquisition costs: Natural gas cars are slightly more expensive than conventional models. These additional costs can be compensated for thanks to the environmental bonus.
  • Consumption: With natural gas drive, you can expect fuel savings of around 60 to 70 percent compared to diesel and petrol. However, it should be noted that natural gas is subsidized. Should these subsidies fall, the advantages in consumption will be lost.
  • Operating costs: Since the vehicle tax is based on pollutant classes (based on the displacement of the vehicle), tax savings of approx 30 percent are included in the natural gas car. You can also save money on insurance, as some insurers offer environmental tariffs for CNG cars.

With a natural gas drive, it is, therefore, much cheaper to drive than with diesel or gasoline-powered vehicles.

Refueling: but where?

If you are considering buying a natural gas vehicle, you should familiarize yourself beforehand with the supply situation in and around your place of residence. The filling station network for natural gas cars still needs to be expanded.

Alternatives: retrofitting and hybrid

Do you have a gasoline engine, but don’t want to sell it to buy a natural gas car, for example, because the loss in value is too great? Then retrofitting your car is also an option. Please note, however: If you want to convert your car to natural gas, you should have to calculate the cost. The rule of thumb for retrofitting is: After approx. 60,000 kilometers, the additional costs are usually compensated.

Do you want to buy a new or rent a car in Islamabad but live in an area where fuel is difficult to find? Then a hybrid could be the solution. If there is a lack of a gas station network for natural gas vehicles, you are on the safe side with the hybrid vehicle: With the two drive types natural gas and gasoline, the problem of “fuel supply” can be eliminated, because if there is no gas available, the drive of your car simply switches to gasoline operation.

Conclusion: a natural gas car can be the right choice for those:

  • who wants an environmentally friendly car
  • but the electric car is too expensive and
  • who drives a lot.

Alternatively, you can retrofit the “old” or opt for the hybrid interim solution.