The Cleanest Cars on Earth?: Honda Civic GX and Other Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs)
Clean Burning Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) are hot commodities in some parts of the country, where fuel can sell for as low as $0.63 per gallon.
Unlike the world’s most fuel efficient car (VW’s 285 MPG bullet), the Honda Civic GX looks like a standard passenger vehicle. What makes it special is what you don’t see: tailpipe emissions that are often cleaner than ambient air.
The Civic GX is powered by compressed natural gas—methane—the simplest and cleanest-burning hydrocarbon available. With an economical 113-hp, 1.8-Liter engine, the EPA has called the Civic the “world’s cleanest internal-combustion vehicle” with 90% cleaner emissions than the average gasoline-powered car on the road in 2004.
And get this: in Utah, natural gas can be purchased for $0.63 per gallon.
- » See also: Roush Bringing Propane-Powered Mustangs To Drag Strips
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At $24,590, buying a new Civic GX won’t exactly break your bank account, especially since up to $7,000 will come back to you in the form of state and federal tax credits. But don’t expect to find one easily. The car is only sold in two states, New York and California, and Honda can’t build them fast enough. One dealership said they have over 80 people waiting to buy.
Actually, the “Air Car” is the cleanest car on earth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmqpGZv0YT4 - (i.e., compressed air that can actually be recycled back into the tank).
I have wondered for years why there was so little interest in the US in using CNG to fuel cars and trucks. For some reason there is more interest in propane than CNG.
Regarding the combination of CNG and battery power, a hybrid, I have seen very little about the problems of battery replacement in hybrids. Toyota says a new battery pack for their Prius costs $3,000.00 PLUS LABOR. May be more than $4K by the time you are done. Also, what about disposal of the old battery pack? Are there any environmental concerns about that yet? Will there be?
You ask, “Tell us what you think”. ‘I think’ that I must be one of the stupidest people in the game because I can’t seem to get into a street and then out of it again with some newly picked up knowledge.
Not unlike a myriad of sites, when I am trying to find the price of shovels I get information about pool tables or salted crackers.
I’ve seen a car that ran on compressed air, I think it was out of France and they have been ten years developing this concept and have several vehicles to boot. What are your views on compressed air-Engines
I was a former Instructor for the Honda Gx. I live in the New York area whwere if half the drivers took there second car and made it a Honda GX and used the home fueling station there would be a major drop in natioal fuel use and price. I have tried to push this idea for three years and no one wants to listen. I will be happy to help you in anyway I can with this idea. The GX is a 300,000 mile car. It is a win win idea.
[...] economies. A cheap new replacement for foreign oil. The Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Vehicle is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle in the world according to the EPA. Natural gas and bio-fuels are the only domestic energy sources used for [...]
There are some very serious drawbacks to this vehicle. The creativity of the individuals designing these vehicles should be commended but natural gas simply will not cut it, there is not enough available to the United States. Also we have yet to replace the diesel which the United States economy is clearly based. Crushing coal would be a much more feasible solution for short term energy problems, particularly in the area of diesel. This would give us time to find a cleaner long term solution. This problem though is not that of the government though, they cannot control the foreign speculation that has been going on outside our borders which is responsible for 25-50% percent of the oil costs/gss costs. This is both a short term and long term problem and it must be attacked in that way.
Joe, hydrogen cars are of two sorts; thse that burn it, and those the through a form of reverse electrolosis create water vapor. Burning hydrogen does not create water vapor.
Wouldn’t it be a better investment of time and money to advance technology with zero emissions? If we can supply our power grid in the U.S. with solar and wind power and advance “plug in” vehicle technology wouldn’t we then be 100% green? I just hate to think that we’re going down the same old path of eventually being dependant on foreign energy and our natural gas goes to $4.00.
[...] A cheap new replacement for foreign oil. The Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Vehicle is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle in the world according to the EPA. Natural gas and bio-fuels are the only domestic energy sources used for [...]