CNG vs regular fuel: Pros and cons you should consider when buying your next car

By: HT Auto Desk
| Updated on: 27 Nov 2024, 19:24 PM

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Here is a short and detailed comparison between CNG and petrol cars to help make the right choice when buying your next car.

CNG vs Petrol cars — CNG cars have become quite popular in the past few years because of the lower running costs. Although they are lesser in number, more and more manufacturers are offering CNG kits as optional add-ons to your preferred model.

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CNG cars have become quite popular in the past few years because of the lower running costs. Although they are lesser in number, more and more manufacturers are offering CNG kits as optional add-ons to your preferred model.

Vehicles powered by compressed Natural Gas (CNG) have seen a spike in popularity over time due to the sharp rise in petrol and diesel prices. At the same time, the growing awareness about global warming and a generally higher level of climate consciousness has made people opt for greener options with the aim of offsetting emissions caused by petrol and diesel cars. CNG is a much more environmentally friendly option in ICE-powered vehicles for it burns much cleaner, leading to significantly lesser emissions.

At the same time, CNG cars are not as readily available as petrol cars are, and there are only a handful of options available in the Indian passenger vehicle market. They are also more expensive to maintain and bring reduced practicality to some extent. Here is a comparison between CNG and petrol cars to help you find out which one’s the right choice:

1 CNG vs Petrol: Emissions, mileage, and engine lifespan

The biggest selling point for CNG-powered vehicles is lower emissions and better mileage. It is the cleanest fossil fuel on the market and comes cheaper than other non-renewable sources of fuel, such as petrol or diesel. On average, cars powered by CNG can travel up to 25 per cent farther than petrol cars do on an equivalent amount of fuel. CNG cars bring a longer engine lifespan when compared to petrol cars due to the cleaner-burning fuel. This causes the engine less wear and tear.

2 CNG vs Petrol: Maintenance

Petrol engines are generally less expensive to maintain than CNG engines. Cars with CNG engines require special equipment to fill them up. CNG tanks additionally need to be inspected and replaced periodically, leading to a greater number of maintenance visits. Petrol cars do not need to go through such inspections and require a lesser skill level to maintain. Maintenance shops for petrol cars are additionally more commonplace and parts can be found in abundance, depending on factors such as age, model, which region of the country you live in, etc.

3 CNG vs Petrol: Performance and availability

Petrol cars generally have a wider availability in most parts of the world, and so is the case in India. Parts are easily accessible, and so are maintenance and repair shops. There is a considerably wider range of petrol cars that are available currently. At the same time, nothing beats regular fuel when it comes to driving pleasure.

CNG cars are not as readily available as petrol cars, but there are more and more Indian manufacturers who are going out of their way to offer CNG kits. Customers can opt for a CNG kit to be installed into their new car straight from the factory. Aftermarket kits are available as well, but these do not guarantee the same level of safety as factory-fitted ones.

4 CNG vs Petrol: Practicality

To get a CNG kit fitted onto the car, however, a customer has to sacrifice a great deal of the available boot space. Practicality is further hindered by the limited availability of CNG refuelling stations across the country. States with the highest number of CNG stations are the ones with the highest vehicle densities and strong governmental support for cleaner fuel options. At the same time, there are various efforts being made currently to expand CNG infrastructure in India.