A Time to Consider All Alternatives
By Ron Cogan, General Manager, GreenCar.com
By Ron Cogan
While Honda has just recently opened up sales of its natural gas-powered Civic GX to consumers in California and New York, this model has been a popular one with fleets nationwide since its introduction to that market in 1998. Since that time, I’ve had the opportunity to log many thousands of miles behind the wheel of this alternative fuel vehicle. They were seamless, comfortable, satisfying miles with the only difference noted the process of fueling with a compression fitting rather than a conventional gasoline nozzle. And, of course, there was the knowledge that my fueling opportunities were all focused on the one natural gas station in town.
Innovation has helped remedy the immediacy of this fueling challenge. Honda’s introduction of Phill, a home-based fueling appliance that brings to mind the days of electric vehicle at-home fueling, is a brilliant move. Fueling a natural gas vehicle at home removes the fuel availability issue entirely for commuters and those whose daily regimen involves driving exclusively around a region. You connect a GX to Phill at night and start out the next day with a full tank and about a 200 mile driving range. Longer-distance drives will require advance work in plotting the location and hours of public CNG fueling stations, but a listing of the nearly 750 CNG stations across the country can be found online.
It’s curious that there’s only one automaker now focused on offering natural gas passenger vehicles as an alternative at the showroom. In years past, numerous automakers served the fleet market with natural gas cars, trucks, and vans...but no more. Interest fell off as other alternatives emerged. Yet, natural gas is readily available through an extensive network of pipelines nationwide and, unlike petroleum, we have substantial stores of natural gas in this country, and even more available from Canada. Could it be time to reexamine this?
As a nation, the U.S. has strived to deal with a growing dependence on foreign oil for decades now. In his 1981 State of the Union address, President Carter said that, “our country is finally serious about the problems caused by our overdependence on foreign oil. Our progress should not be lost. We must rely on and encourage multiple forms of energy production – coal, crude oil, natural gas, solar, nuclear, synthetics – and energy conservation.”
Since those words were spoken 25 years ago, through multiple administrations and despite the best intentions of many at both ends of the political spectrum, we have failed this vision.
It’s time to get serious. The vision for a hydrogen future is crucial. Civilization has transitioned from one primary energy source to another over thousands of years...and in all likelihood, it will be hydrogen’s time in the years ahead. In the interim, it’s equally crucial to commercialize all logical alternative fuels, optimize the use of conventional fuels, and conserve through improved efficiencies to address energy and environmental needs in the short- and mid-term. To do less is to shortchange our future.
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