Natural gas vehicle

A natural gas vehicle natural gas car, Natural gas vehicle ( NGV ), CNG vehicle or Gaz naturel pour véhicules ( GNV ) called, is a vehicle that runs on natural gas as a fuel and is equipped with an internal combustion engine as a drive unit. The engine corresponds to a conventional gasoline engine. Instead of a gasoline -air mixture a processed natural gas -air mixture is burned in the cylinders, the vehicles thus have an alternative drive technology.

Since natural gas at standard atmospheric pressure compared to, for example, diesel fuel has a very low energy density - with 0,036 MJ / liter lower volumetric heating value than diesel with 34.7 MJ / liter - that natural gas is compressed to about 200 bar compressed (CNG Compressed Natural Gas) in order to carry a sufficient amount of energy in a reasonable volume in the vehicle can. The natural gas from the existing natural gas grid as today 's most important energy carrier in the domestic sector is compressed in the gas stations, and therefore is also car traffic.

Due to the environmental benefits of natural gas there is in Germany until 31 December 2018 a tax incentive in the petroleum taxation of fuels, and also the European Commission aims to support the share of natural gas vehicles in the European car stocks, so that by 2020 around 10 % of all vehicles could run on natural gas. Natural gas vehicles are not to be confused with the LPG vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG = liquefied petroleum gas).

2.1 New models of cars powered by natural gas in 2013
2.2 Europe
2.3 Asia
2.4 America

3.1 Series vehicles
3.2 Retrofitted vehicles
3.3 Vehicle Models

4.1 economy
4.2 Environmental aspects
4.3 Comparison of the fuel types
4.4 fuel prices worldwide ( selection)

5.1 Germany, Austria and Switzerland
5.2 Natural gas vehicles and natural gas fueling stations
5.3 future of vehicle technology and infrastructure

6.1 ÖAMTC: Natural gas is marketable, can be used immediately & has environmental and price advantages
6.2 Receivables EasyFix, FGW, Fiat, Opel, VW and E-Control
6.3 Pros and cons from the perspective of ÖAMTC
6.4 ADAC crash test: no increased risk in frontal and side crash

History of Natural Gas Vehicles

History

Étienne Lenoir in 1862 built the first gas engine, even before there was gasoline and diesel vehicles. In the same year, Nicolaus August Otto also worked on experiments with four-stroke engines. A year later, 1863, the first gas-powered engine was developed. The development of a four-stroke engine having compression of a gas -air mixture was 1876.

Over the years, began an ever-increasing global motorization, and also various gas vehicles were operated. As fuel was used, inter alia, biogas, camping gas, natural gas, wood gas, coke oven gas or town gas. After the Second World War there was a great demand for gas fuels. In Italy, there was also a boom in natural gas vehicles funded by the natural gas in the north of the country. Since the 1950s, the automotive industry has focused more on gasoline as well as diesel vehicles and did not build natural gas production vehicles. There were only a few upgraded natural gas vehicles and a few gas stations. In addition to that the cost of gasoline and diesel fell to the 1970s more and more. From climate and environmental reasons later, the use of natural gas as a fuel increased worldwide, including particularly in the countries of Argentina, Brazil and Italy. 1984 Volvo developed the first gas-powered car in Sweden.

Germany

In Germany 1994, the first production vehicles came on the market. Some of the first manufacturers were BMW, Ford and Volvo. As of 1996, followed by other automobile manufacturers, including Citroen, Fiat, Mercedes -Benz, Opel, Peugeot and VW. 1997 also presented with the Honda Civic GX NGV is a vehicle powered by natural gas.

In 1993, the company Ruhrgas, Stadtwerke Mainz, MAN and LMF started a pilot project on the use of natural gas in public transport (PT ). Here, the first natural gas filling station was built in Germany and were first city transport buses in the fleet driven operation with natural gas. These buses were first at the municipal transport authority in Frankfurt used ( Oder) ( SVF ). The SVF currently holds 11 standard buses and 11 articulated buses. There are now numerous local transport companies in the public transport that operate their buses with natural gas, also be increasingly also taxi companies and large fleet operators such as the German Telekom with DeTeFleetServices, the car rental company Avis, the car club and breakdown service ADAC, the logistics company TNT, the logistics company trans - o -flex (2006: 115 vehicles), the furniture store IKEA and social service providers such as Red Cross, Malteser emergency service or diakonia stations. In addition, natural gas is also - with the right vehicle equipment - liquefied natural gas as a fuel in use.

The number of natural gas vehicles in Germany was on 1 January 2011, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority 71 519 vehicles ( 4.4 % compared to 1 January 2010) at 900 CNG filling stations ( Gibgas.de, press release of 16 December 2011). In the year 2012 5215 passenger cars were registered on natural gas in Germany, they were 0.17% of a total of 3,082,504 cars sold.

Austria

The first public natural gas filling station in Austria was taken in 1997 by OMV AG in Graz in operation. At the beginning of 2010 there were already 5,300 NGVs (Natural Gas Vehicles ) approved on Austria's roads ( 874 registrations in 2009). The number of newly registered passenger cars powered by natural gas in Austria rose from 262 cars in 2011 to 274 cars in 2012 by 4.6 %, while the total number of newly registered passenger cars in Austria of 356 145 cars in 2011 to 336 010 cars in 2012 to 5, 7% declined. The share of cars powered by natural gas in new registrations in 2012 was thus 0.08 % of all newly registered passenger cars. The fuel supply is currently 177 public CNG filling stations (as of June 2011) guaranteed. In Vienna there are 19 public natural gas filling stations (as of June 2011).

In Margaret / moss (Lower Austria, district of Bruck / Leitha ) the first pure biogas filling station in Austria was officially opened on 28 August 2008. There can be purified to natural gas quality biogas ( min. 95 % CH4) are fueled from local production. This gas station is since the end of 2011 the public (self-service with an ATM card, before you needed a chip to unlock the gas pump ).

In addition to existing subsidies for natural gas vehicles in almost all provinces, above all, the new NOVA scheme from 1 July 2008 will give a strong impetus. The purchase of vehicles with alternative fuels such as natural gas is promoted for their contribution to CO2 reduction with a government bonus of up to 500 euros ( plus VAT).

With 3000 Euros per vehicle promotes the City of Vienna in cooperation with the energy provider Wien Energie until the end of May 2011, the acquisition of natural gas taxis.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein

In Switzerland and in Liechtenstein drove end of December 2006 a total of approximately 3,500 natural gas vehicles. By 2010, increase to 30,000 vehicles is expected. The public filling station network comprised end of December 2006, around 85 stations, including biogas filling stations. By the end of 2007, the network will be expanded to 100 natural gas or biogas filling stations.

In January 1996, the Basel traffic (BVB ) tested the Mercedes -Benz O 405 N2 CNG on its two longest bus routes. As a pilot project followed an order from a total of 12 natural gas buses with numbers 801-812, which are still in operation today. In the bus garage at the rank road is a public natural gas filling station. Later, several more bus services procured with natural gas -powered buses. As of 2010, in Basel 38 CNG buses in operation.

The Principality of Liechtenstein decreed in 2005 over 39 natural gas buses that were operated by LIEmobil. Vehicle owners of natural gas vehicles are exempt in Liechtenstein from the motor vehicle tax.

Recent Developments

Worldwide, there are about 15.1 million natural gas vehicles, of which the five main usage countries (Pakistan, Iran, Argentina, Brazil, India) together around 10.4 million units (as of 2011).

New car models powered by natural gas in 2013

2013 increases the range of natural gas vehicles to seven models. The new natural gas models enrich mainly the compact class as well as the small car segment. In the seventh generation of the best selling car in Germany will be in the second half for the first time from the factory with natural gas available with the VW Golf BlueMotion TGI. Based on the same vehicle platform until you reach the end of the year, the Audi A3, the Skoda Octavia and Seat Leon with natural gas variants. In the micro-car segment put the VW eco up! now the sister models Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo Ecofuel Ecomotive CNG Green tec after in terms of alternative drives. Both models will receive the award-winning 1.0-liter gas engine that achieved with a consumption of 3.2 kilograms of natural gas a low CO2 emissions of just 79 grams per kilometer. In addition, Fiat donated the release in spring 500L an environmentally friendly natural gas engine.

Europe

Germany: Natural gas is steuervergünstigt. Cheapest Price model since its launch in 2012, the VW Up Eco. It costs about 2000 euros more than a comparable gasoline engine.

The French car manufacturer Citroën cooperates on the natural gas vehicle market with the gas company GDF Gaz de France and will offer starting in 2007 in Toulouse Space Vehicles for Selbstbetanken at the gas service connection. The € 500 expensive compressor is the car buyers and owners of a gas connection provided free of charge. In France there is also a tax of 1,525 euros for monovalent and bivalent newly purchased natural gas vehicles. The French retail group Carrefour also plans to set up natural gas fueling stations.

UK: holder of natural gas vehicles pay less road tax, here: "Vehicle Excise Duty ( VED ) ," than comparable gasoline and diesel vehicles.

Netherlands: Until 2011 MAN Lion's City provides 135 low-floor buses with natural gas engines for urban farms in The Hague.

Italy: 2008 70.956 new natural gas vehicles were registered in Italy. In addition, the state plans to increase the state premium for natural gas plants from 500 euros to 650 euros.

In parts of Norway a mixture of compressed natural gas is offered with hydrogen as fuel ( HCNG ).

Asia

Turkey: The Turkish capital Ankara extended until the end of 2009 their existing natural gas fleet of 490 buses to 500 vehicles of MAN Lion's Classic.

In India, started in 1998 in New Delhi, a natural gas vehicle - development program that included City buses and taxis and should reduce the air pollution. The utilities Indraprastha Gas Limited ( IGL ) this went into a joint venture with the State GAIL and BPCL, as well as the local governor government in New Delhi. Due to the success in New Delhi, the Indian government decided to promote natural gas vehicles in 11 other cities. In the city of Lucknow (Lucknow ), also the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh, about 500 kilometers east of the capital, New Delhi had to be converted in public transport of the city for natural gas until the end of November 2006, all vehicles, at the same time was a ban on diesel and gasoline buses.

In Pakistan, the number of natural gas vehicles increases rapidly. There, now drive about 2.7 million mostly converted vehicles with natural gas.

In Thailand, the first experience with natural gas-powered vehicles began in 1984 in cooperation with New Zealand, which led to the introduction of five buses. Today, the government is pursuing a conversion of the retail network on gas (CNG and LNG) and for the further promotion of natural gas vehicles.

In the United Arab Emirates was decided in the summer of 2005 that natural gas by 2012 to account for around 20 percent of the total consumed in road transport in the country fuel.

America

Brazil: The price of 1 liter of petrol is 2.05 to 2.30 Real per liter ( as of 2005), which works out at about 70 to 80 euro cents. In contrast, costs 1 kg compressed natural gas ( CNG) 1 Real (approx. EUR 0.34 ). The conversion of pure petrol cars in bivalent natural gas vehicles in Brazil costs about 2,000 Real ( about 670 euros ) and lowers the cost of road tax by 25 percent. In February 2008, the police forces in Rio de Janeiro were equipped with 632 natural gas vehicles by type VW Gol.

USA: The use of natural gas in car enables compliance with the Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standards. The first ULEV for California was a natural gas car.

Vehicles with natural gas

Series vehicles

Many automotive manufacturers have with the Federal Association of the German Gas and Water Management, the petroleum industry (among Aral ), the Federal Environment Ministry and the automobile club ADAC in the support group " The natural gas vehicle " teamed. The automotive industry offers since 2001 an increasing model range of standard natural gas vehicles.

Natural gas vehicles are available in two versions: bivalent and monovalent.

Dual-mode vehicles (also called bifuel ) can drive both the fuel gas and petrol. The operation can switch between fuels at any time by pressing a switch or automatically. Thus, the range of the vehicles is comparable to conventionally powered passenger cars.
Monovalent vehicles ( monofuel ) will run on compressed natural gas and usually have an additional fuel tank with up to 31 liters of petrol. The motors in monovalent vehicles are technically better suited to run on natural gas, with an optimized fuel consumption and lower emissions.

In almost all series vehicles, the gas tanks are under-floor, that is mounted under the floor, so that no limitation of the load volume is. The growing used car market for natural gas vehicles allows car buyers to avoid the cost of the car model and about 1000 to 2000 Euro higher acquisition costs compared to a conventionally powered production car. However, the used-car prices for the CNG vehicles are even higher.

In contrast to gasoline vehicles with natural gas vehicles is still the appropriate technology for this, which consists of compressed gas containers, pressure regulator, injection and non-return valves and an electronic engine control. The drive differs in that in the cylinders instead of a fuel-air mixture, a gas -air mixture is compressed, ignited and burnt.

With a tank operation, the gas reaches the pressurized gas container, from where it flows through a multi-functional safety valve in the high-pressure regulator. The storage pressure of the compressed natural gas fueled is reduced from 200 bar (approximate pressure of a diver's breathing apparatus ) from the high-pressure regulator to 7 bar. Subsequent filtering prevents impurities in the gas contaminating the gas metering. In the sequential gas metering the amount of natural gas by means of computer controlled solenoid valves separately injected according to the required power demand of the vehicle in respective separate inlet passages in order to ensure optimum combustion. In the petrol engine, the natural gas is swirled with the intake air, and the mixture burns in the cylinder as in a conventional gasoline engine. The tank sizes with standard models are natural gas 12-37 kg.

The compression can be set higher to 98 unleaded premium gasoline with natural gas engines due to the high octane rating of 134, compared to 95 and then achieved a higher efficiency in gasoline engines.

For commercial vehicles, diesel engines are converted so that they can go as a fuel with natural gas. This innovation is the foundation of the DING engine (Direct Injection Natural Gas), a highly efficient, low-emission and environmentally friendly vehicle drive. Currently, the DING engine is tested in everyday operation with a view to future production application. The development of the DING engine is strong, also driven by the Canadian company Westport Innovations Inc with renowned German company.

From 2009, a new generation of engines for natural gas vehicles came on the market that are advertised as, inter alia, Turbo -CNG or TNG ( Turbo Natural Gas). For this purpose, existing turbo gasoline engines have already been developed and the known components of gasoline engines, such as a turbocharger (ATL ), adapted. In other models, also comes a compressor is used, the efficiency increases significantly due to the increased compression and by the construction of additional boost pressure. In November 2007, a prototype of a VW Passat TSI EcoFuel and an Audi A5 2.0 T -CNG were presented at the gat 2007 (gas Discussion Meeting on the German gas industry ) in Karlsruhe. At the Bologna Motor Show in December 2008, Opel Zafira 1.6 CNG Turbo before the public for the first time. From 2012 Opel Zafira Tourer delivers the successor as CNG with large 25-kg CNG tank. In connection with the economical turbo engines are CNG ranges well over 650 km are possible.

Retrofitted vehicles

Almost all motor vehicles with gasoline engines can theoretically be converted for alternative use with natural gas. This is also the advantage of the fuel, since it can be resorted to sophisticated engine technology and engine development of the automotive industry, because only a few changes need to be made to the engine itself. These relate in particular to the valve train, which has proved to be a weak point in conventional gasoline engines due to the different type of combustion behavior of natural gas. Thus, the wear on the valve seat inserts may be considerably larger. If the ignition timing of the base engine is not adjusted to the new conditions ( lower pace compared to gasoline), the exhaust temperature is below full load higher, making the exhaust valves can be damaged by heat. Without the necessary improvements to the base motors have a service life in most units must be questioned.

Only a gas tank (steel bottles, Kompositflaschen or modern EU standard plastic bottles ), a supply system to the intake manifold and corresponding engine management systems must be integrated and aligned. In addition, generally a loss of space in the trunk to record, if the tanks are arranged in series as in under-floor do not vehicles. Appropriate specialist companies ( 65 companies in Germany ) can make in terms of technical equipment such alterations according to the European ECE R -115 directive. The gas system must be registered in the vehicle registration document and registration certificate will invalidate the type approval of the vehicle.

Retrofitting of gasoline vehicles will cost 3200-4500 euro depending on the type of car and pays for itself by saving the higher fuel costs after about 40000-50000 km ( depending on consumption of the vehicle and the current gasoline and natural gas costs). The acquisition of new production vehicles or younger used car is usually more profitable.

IAV GmbH, an engineering company in the automotive industry, is a leader in production-based natural gas vehicles ( Qualified Vehicle Manufacturer solution) in Germany. On offer here are currently following types of cars: Audi A3 1.6 l Bifuel CNG, VW Golf Variant 1.6 CNG and Škoda Octavia II CNG.

Vehicle models

Today, many car manufacturers offer standard on vehicles for natural gas operation. Some manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Motors Germany GmbH do not provide natural gas vehicles from the factory, but offer in cooperation with Umrüstpartnern subsequently convert to natural gas. The conversion is enabled with Mitsubishi for all petrol engines except GDI and 2.4L MIVEC engines, the recommended Mitsubishi Motors Germany GmbH equiment is the company Tartarini Germany GmbH.

Among the current and previous models, which are (partly on non- European markets ) standard also offered as a CNG version include:

Audi A3 -tron g from 02 /2014
BMW: 316g Compact, 518g
Citroën Berlingo, C3, jumper, Xsara Picasso
Chevrolet: Aveo, Cavalier, Optra
Fiat: Doblo, Ducato, Fiorino, Multipla, Palio, Panda, Punto, Punto Actual, Punto Evo, Grande Punto, Qubo, Siena
Ford Contour, Focus and C-Max, Ikon, Mondeo, Ranger, Transit
Honda: Civic, City
Hyundai: Santro
Iran Khodro Samand
Iveco: Daily
Lifan: Bi-Fuel 620 and 520
Mercedes -Benz B-Class, E200, Sprinter
Opel Astra, Combo, Zafira,
Peugeot: Partner, Boxer
PGO Cevennes
Proton Wira, Gen 2, Saga
Renault: Express, Kangoo, Espace
Seat: Mii
Skoda: Skoda Citigo
Suzuki: Mehran, Grand Vitara
Tata Indigo / Marina
TMC (Transmission Motor Company ): Alif, Bay
Toyota: Corolla, Innova, Camry
Vehicle Production Group ( VPG ), CNG MV-1
Volkswagen Caddy, Touran, Passat, Golf, eco up!
Volvo: S80, S70, S60, V50 and S40

Further details can be found in the main articles of the vehicles.

In motorsport, Volkswagen launched 2009 and 2010 in the 24 -hour Nürburgring race with three VW Scirocco GT24- CNG with biogas.

Assessment

Economy

The benefits of natural gas vehicles are on the one hand, the lower compared to other fuels, fuel costs and also lower tax rate for the fuel, on the other hand to meet strict emissions standards, resulting in monovalent to a favorable classification regarding the vehicle tax. Dual-mode vehicles are rated according to their emission levels in gasoline mode. A special case is quasi monovalent natural gas vehicles: In Germany they are taxed despite the possible Benzinnotbetriebes line with lower emission natural gas operation.

For the natural gas fuel the German federal government lowered by the Law on the further development of ecological tax reform of 2002 the tax rate on natural gas for all vehicles on public roads until 31 December 2020 to EUR 13.90 per MWh. On 29 June 2006, the federal government has decided with the Energy Tax Act favoring of natural gas for all vehicles on public roads until 31 December 2018. Thus, the tax was reduced to two years. Converted to the calorific value compared results from natural gas, a 80 percent tax advantage compared to the fuel and premium gasoline to diesel by about 70 percent. In terms of price, this means currently in Germany on a 60 cents cheaper per liter of fuel compared to unleaded petrol.

The motor vehicle tax in Germany, which, inter alia, depends on the emission behavior of vehicles is measured in natural gas vehicles almost always after class D4/Euro3- or Euro4 emissions standard. Depending on the car model, some vehicles are still exempt. In Switzerland, there will be 2006/2007 a tax reduction of automobile tax for natural gas vehicles and a tax exemption for biogas.

Some insurance companies (among RheinLand insurance and Wiener Städtische ) also offer special discounts of up to 30 % for natural gas vehicles. Public utilities and gas utilities also subsidize the purchase of new standard natural gas vehicles, which may be older than three years usually not with tank balance of 500 to 1000 kg. For example, until the fall of 2007 in Switzerland in Zurich supply room with 1000 kg of gas suppliers and Vienna in Austria the vehicle buying new (and upgrading ) until May 2011, € 1,000 each support ( plus the federal funding of about 500 euros ). Stadtwerke Emden and Stadtwerke Frankfurt (Oder) gave a cash grant in the amount of 1250 EUR for a new car purchase in 2009.

The price of a kilogram of natural gas varies greatly between individual stations. So has the billi gesture German petrol station on the kilogram for € 0.79 and the most expensive for € 1.349. The average price is 1.04 euros (as of June 16, 2012, Source: gas tankstellen.de ). If you put, for example, the Normverbauch a Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel of 4.3 kg/100 km basis, one comes to consumption cost of 3.40 euro to 5.80 euro per 100 km.

Environmental aspects

That are produced during combustion in the diesel engine carcinogenic soot particles and the strong-smelling aldehydes and acrolein does not arise in a natural gas vehicle. The natural gas, whose main component is methane, the carbon poorest fuel and burns therefore very clean. In addition, the use of upgraded biogas in Switzerland also called Kompogas, possible as a fuel for natural gas vehicles.

Natural gas vehicle (H- gas ) compared to gasoline vehicle up to 25% less carbon dioxide ( CO2) ( biomethane is additionally genesis neutral) (carbon dioxide emissions per liter see section 4.3).
Up to 75% less carbon monoxide (CO)
Up to 60% less reactive hydrocarbons ( HC)

Natural gas vehicle (L- gas ) compared to modern diesel vehicle up to 5% less carbon dioxide ( CO2)
Up to 50% carbon monoxide (CO)
Up to 80% less reactive hydrocarbons (HC)
Up to 70% less nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Up to 99% less soot or particulate matter emission

In Germany received after 1 March 2007, natural gas vehicles, which are characterized according to the Regulation on the identification of low-emission vehicles by Feinstaubplakette, approval, in the case of increased particulate emissions in city centers, the so-called " environmental zones " or " restricted zones " to navigate.

Comparison of fuel types

In Germany, the composition of the fuel gas in the framework of the revised 10th Federal Emission Regulation ( BlmSchV ) from the year 2005 has been written according to DVGW worksheet G260. In addition, the discharged fuel CNG must meet the requirements of DIN 61425. Such plaques are distinguished from the natural gas filling stations.

After the calibration gas law can not by volume ( liters) or kilowatt-hour, but only after mass (kg) are sold. A built- in pumps meter, a Coriolis mass flow meter measures the flowing mass and is calibrated according to the Bureau of Standards.

Fuel types compared:

Natural gas H - gas ( CNG): Density 0.81 kg / m³ gas, calorific value 13.0 kWh / kg, carbon dioxide emissions in 2480 g / l, 1 kg of H - gas corresponds to about 1.5 liters of petrol, 1.3 liter diesel or 1.6 liters of LPG
Natural gas L- gas ( CNG): Density 0.82 kg / m³ gas, calorific value of 11.3 kWh / kg, carbon dioxide emissions 2850 g / l, 1 kg of L- gas corresponds to about 1.3 liters of gasoline, about 1.1 liter diesel or 1.4 liters of LPG
Petroleum gas ( LPG): density 540 kg / m³ liquid, calorific value of 12.8 kWh / kg, carbon dioxide emissions in 1980 g / l
Premium gasoline: density 740 kg / m³ liquid, calorific value 12.0 kWh / kg, carbon dioxide emissions in 2380 g / l
Diesel: density 830 kg / m³ liquid, calorific value of 11.8 kWh / kg, carbon dioxide emissions in 2660 g / l

Range comparison at a fuel filling for 40.00 euro with a vehicle of the type Opel Zafira CNG:

Calculation bases (July 2013): When natural gas vehicle is assumed that the capacity of the gas tank is sufficiently large, as is the case with the Opel Zafira CNG. 1 liter of super gasoline for € 1.60 ( consumption: 9 l/100 km ), 1 liter of autogas ( LPG) for € 0.76 (consumption 11.3 l/100 km ), 1 liter of diesel fuel for € 1.36 (consumption: 7.5 l/100 km ) and 1 kg of natural gas (CNG) for € 1.10 ( consumption: 6.5 kg/100 km).

Fuel prices worldwide ( selection)

See also: motor gasoline, section prices, fuel, fuel price development section and natural gas vehicles, section fuel prices

Fuel prices worldwide ( selection) in Euro (excluding wages and cost of living):

1 kg of natural gas equivalent to about 1.5 liters of premium, about 1.3 liters of diesel

Source: http://www.iru.org/en_services_fuel_prices (only petrol & diesel), http://www.ngvjournal.com/en/statistics/item/925-worldwide-fuel-prices (petrol, diesel and CNG prices)

Network of filling stations for natural gas vehicles

At gas stations, compressed natural gas is (CNG) in quality than H- gas (high gas) and / or L- gas (low gas) available:

H gas comes from Russia, Great Britain, Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark to Germany and has a methane content from 87 to 99.1 percent by volume. The calorific value is between approximately 10.0 and 11.1 kWh / m³, which was higher than that of the L- gas,
L- gas is produced in Northern Germany with a methane content of 79.8 to 87 percent by volume and has a calorific value of 8.2 to 8.9 kWh / m³.

There are two types of fuel tank filler neck (4 and 8 mm nominal diameter ) and a separate Italian variant. Help fueling nozzles at petrol stations to bridge between the standards.

Germany, Austria and Switzerland

On 1 January 2014 there were 917 natural gas filling stations in Germany. On 1 January 2008, the stations were mainly with H - gas and only 27 percent with L- gas. In Switzerland, there are as of July 2013 134 filling stations, which emit all H - gas. In addition, there are in Germany since June 2006, the first biogas filling station in Jameln in Wendland. Investment of the Raiffeisen cooperative goods (CT), the crude biogas from the fermentation of corn, grain, clover grass using a newly developed treatment plant to natural gas quality of the group H gas is refined (methane content above 95 percent). In Margaret Moss on Austria's first pure biogas filling station (sample ) was taken operation in December 2007. The official launch took place then on 28 August 2008. Since the end of 2011, this gas station is public ( self-service ATM card ), that is, one does not need a chip to unlock the pump.

The Biofuel Quota Act in force since 1 January 2007 requires the petroleum industry to bring an increasing minimum percentage of their fuel sales in the form of biofuels in circulation (quota obligation). Utilities that operate natural gas fueling stations, this opens up a new revenue source through the addition of electricity generated from renewable biomethane. The thus obtained organic quota can be sold to oil companies, which thereby fulfill their obligation to Biobeimischung.

In April 2008, the first natural gas filling station was opened on the Esso station of the car yard field times the A7 motorway, near Kassel in operation. In May 2008, followed by the truck stops Lippetal (A2 Hamm ) and Idstein (A3, Frankfurt / Wiesbaden) two total stations.

In Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania up to 10 percent bio- gas are mixed in 2011. In November 2010, Stadtwerke München had (SWM ) have already begun to mix at their then seven natural gas filling stations in the urban area 50 percent biomethane; at their now nine filling stations Bioquote is now 100 %.

On 1 October 2012, the hundredth natural gas filling station has been put into service by the public utility in Langenfeld Mettmann, can be refueled at the 100 percent biomethane.

As of January 2009 ( all vehicles) and July 2008 ( petrol stations)

Development of the stock of motor vehicles with fuel gas and CNG filling stations in Germany

Natural gas vehicles and natural gas fueling stations

Motorists who are looking for a natural gas filling station can be based on appropriate sign cards or use a Germany -wide SMS service that informs depending on the location of the driver on the nearest petrol station.

Indication of natural gas filling stations include CNG and LNG stations that are public, municipal or privately operated. House connections are not miteingerechnet.

Sources: NGV Group, NGVA, ENGVA, ANGVA, IANGV ( * As of December 2008, subject to change); Data for 2010 http://www.iangv.org/tools-resources/statistics.html; Data for 2011 http://www.iangv.org/current-ngv-stats/

Future of vehicle technology and infrastructure

One of the key issues in the development is the capacity of the fuel and thus the range and suitability for everyday use of the vehicles and, ultimately, the customer acceptance. Methods are tested with a higher tank pressure (300 bar instead of 200 ), ( deep) refrigerated tanks or a combination of both.

Natural gas is one of the fossil fuels, the finiteness is to be considered in the development. Therefore, each natural gas vehicle can be driven with purified to natural gas quality biogas or in any desired mixtures of natural gas and upgraded biogas. There are ways to previously isolated in Germany and in Switzerland. In Switzerland, the share of bio natural gas was already on fossil fuel natural gas in 2006, 26.5%. Sweden already has 6,000 of the 12,000 natural gas vehicles biomethane recharge predominantly.

On 14 December 2012, Audi has taken its 6 MW e-gas plant (synthetic ' natural gas ') in Werlte in operation. With the help of excess wind stream and the CO ² emission of a nearby biogas plant ( decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen compound of hydrogen and carbon), methane is produced and fed into the methane gas / natural gas grid in 2 steps.

In contrast to hydrogen, methane is a easy to handle gas for which a widely used and proven infrastructure and many of the familiar people exist. The technical problems of methane gas drive are not comparable with those of the hydrogen drive, see also eg BMW Hydrogen 7 as are imposed on the steel of the pipes only known and achievable requirements, eg. The manufacture synthetic methane is a better alternative to fossil fuels, as the biological, since the competition is not given to food production and the use of land is much lower.

Positions of automobile associations and regulatory authority to natural gas vehicles

ÖAMTC: Natural gas is marketable, can be used immediately & has environmental and price advantages

According to publication of the ÖAMTC from July 25, 2013 Natural gas is (Compressed Natural Gas - CNG) as fuel a marketable and immediately applicable technology with environmental and price advantages. However, this alternative has not yet been established on the market. The ÖAMTC and the Association of gas and heat supply enterprises ( FGW ) and Fiat, Opel and VW presented on 25 July 2013, a request packet to the next Austrian Government. They were supported by the authority responsible for electricity and gas industry Austrian regulatory Energie-Control Austria (E - Control).

Demands EasyFix, FGW, Fiat, Opel, VW and E-Control

No fuel tax on natural gas by 2025 ( " No mineral oil tax on natural gas ").
An Austria -wide acquisition funding ( eg NoVA Liberation) in 2025 to produce Gleichpreisigkeit to conventional drives.

In addition, partners in favor of a gas tax- exemption for connected into the gas grid and taken from elsewhere biomethane (based on the tax treatment of biodiesel and bioethanol ) and other incentives to switch to natural gas cars and other alternative fuel cars ( eg incentives for the motor vehicle tax ).

Pros and cons from the perspective of ÖAMTC

One of the main arguments in favor of natural gas is for the ÖAMTC in high efficiency: Currently, around the same amount of money to be covered with a natural gas car routes that around 50 percent ( diesel ) or 100 percent (petrol ) are longer. According ÖAMTC poll Nevertheless, many consumers reservations about natural gas cars. They fear an increased risk of explosion in case of accidents and limitations when entering garages.

" Both are unjustified. A crash test of the ÖAMTC confirmed the technical safety of natural gas car. Entry bans in garages based on the lack in some states distinguish between LPG and CNG. Here, the legislature has pent-up demand "

, Bernhard Wiesinger, Director of ÖAMTC advocacy.

ADAC crash test: no increased risk in frontal and side crash

The ADAC examined what happens during a frontal and side crash into a natural gas vehicle. The clear result: the all-clear, the risk of fire with natural gas vehicles is not increased. Also in case of accidents, the gas model behaves much different than the standard version. Those who opt for the environmentally friendly fuel, so in this respect should have no concerns!

311927