Natural gas vehicle

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A natural gas vehicle , including CNG , Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV), or CNG vehicle ( Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle ), is a vehicle with natural gas , biogas or power to gas as fuel is operated. The engines of these vehicles mostly work according to the Otto or Diesel process . Natural gas vehicles are among vehicles that have an alternative drive technology.

The energy density of natural gas with the main component methane is around 50 MJ / kg, which is around 20% greater than that of conventional fuels made from crude oil (diesel, gasoline around 41.9 MJ / kg). Due to its significantly lower density at atmospheric pressure, the natural gas is compressed to up to 240 bar (CNG = Compressed Natural Gas) in order to be able to carry a sufficient amount of energy in a reasonable volume in the vehicle. Natural gas, the most important energy source in the household sector today, is transported directly to the petrol stations via the existing natural gas network, where it is compressed and is therefore also available for car traffic.

In Germany there is a tax break for the taxation of natural gas until December 31, 2025 ; whereby from 2024 the preferential treatment will be gradually withdrawn. The tax break is intended to increase the proportion of natural gas vehicles; The European Commission wants to achieve that by 2020 natural gas vehicles will make up 10% of the European vehicle population.

Natural gas vehicles are not to be confused with the LPG vehicles , with the liquefied gas (LPG = liquefied petroleum gas) are operated.

History of natural gas vehicles

First developments in the German Empire

Gas-powered car with alternating gas bottles in Paris (1945)

There is little information on the history of the natural gas vehicle in the specialist literature, as it has so far hardly been the focus of historical research. At the beginning of the 20th century there was a systemic battle between the electric drive, steam drive and drive with liquid petroleum derivatives. Gas propulsion did not play a role right from the start. It was only through the self-sufficiency policy of the National Socialists with their “domestic fuels” in the Third Reich that gases became interesting as automotive fuel. From 1934 onwards, municipal companies in particular increasingly switched their bus, garbage truck and street cleaning truck operations to gas. The mixture of substances similar to natural gas, town gas and sewage gas, was used. As already today, the gas was compressed to 20 MPa, but was still carried in the vehicle in alternating gas cylinders. Fixed gas tanks were increasingly used from 1935 onwards, as changing the gas bottles during operation was very cumbersome. In the following three years a gas filling station network with 50 filling stations was established in the German Reich. 10 of them supplied sewage gas and 40 town gas. Technical leadership in the gas truck development was the TH Berlin, in particular the load control was continuously improved. Due to the high weight of the system, these early gas systems with fixed CNG storage systems were only considered for commercial vehicles. On the part of the political leadership there was only little interest in nationwide gas operation, since hydrogenation plants for coal liquefaction , which could supply conventional fuels, appeared to be more suitable for solving the fuel question. After the beginning of the Second World War in Europe with increasing fuel shortages, municipal companies out of necessity used balloon-like low-pressure accumulators for buses, which could store the gas on the vehicle roof at atmospheric pressure. Wood gas generated directly on the vehicle was also used. The first gas buses ran in Wiesbaden in 1942, and from 1943 this extremely simple technology was also widespread in other major cities. The natural gas buses lasted until the early 1950s, but then quickly disappeared from the roads because oil was available again. There were similar developments to those in Germany in other western industrialized countries.

Natural gas vehicle boom in Italy and New Zealand

New Zealand Ford Falcon that has been converted to run on natural gas

However, Italy is an exception here. In the 1950s, natural gas production in northern Italy rose sharply, so that in view of the great energy requirements of the Italian economy, it made sense to use natural gas as a cheap fuel. The Italian government financially supported the expansion of a natural gas filling station network, so that automobile accessories manufacturers increasingly offered conversion kits from gasoline to natural gas. At that time, there were no mass-produced vehicles with natural gas drive. The natural gas passenger car experienced a certain distribution, but remained largely a niche product. It was not until the oil price crises in the 1970s that the natural gas vehicle became more popular again. Developments in the direction of natural gas propulsion have been undertaken, especially in countries with their own large natural gas reserves such as the USA, Canada and New Zealand. In New Zealand in particular, natural gas passenger cars were heavily subsidized by the state, so that Italian conversion kits were initially imported here and later manufactured by the domestic automotive accessories industry. By the 1980s, New Zealand had a network of 370 natural gas filling stations and also workshops that carried out renovations. By the late 1980s, New Zealand had 120,000 natural gas vehicles, 11% of the total vehicle population. A change of government in the mid-1980s, however, brought the subsidies to an abrupt end, making it economically unattractive to convert vehicles to natural gas. In 2012 New Zealand had 65 natural gas vehicles, while Italy had 750,000.

Worldwide development in the 1990s and early 2000s

Above all in emerging countries with easily accessible natural gas reserves, governments increasingly opted for a self-sufficiency policy from the beginning of the 1990s in order to save oil. Natural gas vehicles are therefore very widespread in Iran, Pakistan, Argentina, Brazil and India in particular. In western industrialized countries such as Germany, the natural gas vehicle became an "environmental protection machine" in the public perception due to the framework conditions created by environmental policy, so that automobile manufacturers here began to offer natural gas vehicles mainly for reasons of market expansion. Natural gas vehicles only became economical through state subsidies and tax breaks. Without such measures, the natural gas vehicle would never have become widespread. After the political framework was in place (reduction of the mineral oil tax on natural gas and biogas, exception to the vehicle tax for monovalent vehicles), around 5000 vehicles in Germany had been converted to natural gas operation by the end of the 1990s and a filling station network of 160 natural gas filling stations was created . It was mostly natural gas suppliers who first converted their own vehicles to run on natural gas, which were among the 5000 said natural gas vehicles. In 2000, the “carrier group for natural gas vehicles” was founded, to which companies from the energy, gas, mineral oil and automotive industries as well as the Federal Ministry for the Environment and ADAC belonged. This group of sponsors campaigned for subsidies and promoted the natural gas vehicle as an environmentally friendly "saving machine": economical, safe and clean . In addition, the red-green federal government under Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder introduced the " eco tax ", an increase in the mineral oil tax, which gave natural gas vehicles an additional artificial economic advantage.

Development until the 2010s and stagnation

For 2004, the natural gas vehicles sponsoring group had set a goal of 1,000 natural gas filling stations across Germany; in fact, there were only 920 filling stations in 2013, so the goal is considered a failure. By 2012, the number of natural gas vehicles in Germany rose to around 95,000 vehicles, which makes up around 0.2% of the total vehicle component in the Federal Republic of Germany. That is enough for the natural gas vehicle to be considered established not only among fleet operators but also among private vehicle pioneers. Unlike in the 1990s, several manufacturers had standard natural gas vehicles on offer. A stagnation in the expansion of the natural gas filling station network has been observed since 2010. The reason for this is that natural gas filling stations cannot be operated profitably.

technical basics

Natural gas as a fuel

Natural gas is a gas mixture whose main component is methane . Methane is a hydrocarbon and under standard conditions (298.15 K, 101.325 kPa) it is a gas. Although it has a very high mass-related calorific value of 50 MJ · kg −1 , it has a very large volume in relation to its mass (density approx. 0.66 kg · m −3 ). It must therefore be compressed or liquefied to at least 20 MPa in order to be able to be carried in sufficient quantities in the vehicle. Compared to other hydrocarbons, the carbon-hydrogen ratio of methane is relatively low at 1: 4. When natural gas is burned, around 25% less carbon dioxide is released when using the same amount of energy than when burning petrol or diesel fuel. Methane has a high auto-ignition temperature, which is why it is particularly suitable for engines with external ignition ( Otto engines ). The high knock resistance ( methane number ) allows a higher compression ratio than with gasoline engines, which has a positive effect on the efficiency. The ignition limits are also very high, which in theory makes stratified charge concepts and lean operation appear sensible. Compared to direct gasoline injection , the calorific value of the mixture with direct natural gas injection is approx. 3% lower.

CNG ( Compressed Natural Gas ) as a fuel for cars is defined in the DIN 51624 standard. It must have a minimum methane number of 70 MZ and a methane content of at least 80%, the density is in the range of 0.72–0.91 kg · m −3 . A distinction is also made between two qualities, high and low. Natural gas of quality level low has a calorific value that is more than 10% lower than natural gas of quality level high. This must be taken into account when designing the engine, as well as undesirable fuel components such as sulfur (through odorization), lubricating oil (from the gas compressor at the filling station) and siloxanes (created during biogas production).

Depending on the requirements, the natural gas is used either in compressed gaseous form (CNG) or in liquid form (LNG). According to the calibration law , natural gas may not be sold by volume (liters) or kilowatt hour, but only by mass (kilograms). A measuring instrument built into the dispenser, a Coriolis mass flow meter, measures the mass flowing through and is calibrated accordingly by the calibration office. However, efforts are being made to establish pricing in the unit € / (10 kWh), because the calorific values ​​of the respective gas also differ within gas classes L or H.

Engine technology

As explained in the section on natural gas as a fuel , the high knock resistance of natural gas is particularly suitable for natural gas operation due to the gasoline engine and is widely used in passenger cars. Diesel engines with natural gas as fuel are more complicated to develop than comparable gasoline engines, since the diesel engine needs a fuel with good ignition, but natural gas is knock-proof, that is, not ignitable; the safe initiation of ignition is therefore difficult in the diesel engine. For commercial vehicles (buses, trucks, etc.), however, a diesel engine is often used because it is more efficient than the Otto engine and therefore uses less fuel.

Mixture formation in a diesel engine

Volvo FH LNG with diesel engine
Diesel process with additional intake manifold injection

Industrial diesel engines modified for natural gas operation with additional intake manifold injection work according to the diesel process and their operating mode is almost unchanged compared to the conventional common rail diesel engine, but they have been expanded to include a natural gas system with gas tank, gas control system and gas pressure regulator (so-called dual fuel Engines). These engines can be operated like normal diesel engines with pure diesel fuel ( DIN EN 590 ), natural gas is only an additional fuel with which the diesel fuel is substituted (replaced). The very knock-resistant, i.e. non-ignitable natural gas is blown into the intake manifold, mixed with air there and compressed like pure air during the compression stroke. Conventional diesel fuel is injected into the mixture of air and natural gas, and the heat causes it to self-ignite. The burning diesel fuel then ignites the natural gas, which burns with a premixed flame . In this way, around 60-80% of the diesel fuel can be substituted with natural gas. The problem is that in some areas of the map, a too lean mixture consisting of large parts of natural gas would not burn properly, while knocking (undesirable self-ignition) can occur at high loads. Therefore, operating ranges with low speed, low partial load and possibly full load as well as cold start without natural gas injection, i.e. in pure diesel fuel operation, are covered. The characteristic of the diesel process with natural gas intake manifold injection is a high methane slip, which requires an oxidation catalytic converter with high conversion rates in order to achieve good exhaust gas behavior. Such catalysts are not yet available today (2015), which is why natural gas engines that work according to the diesel process and additional intake manifold injection of natural gas do not meet the Euro VI emissions standard.

Diesel process with direct injection

With direct injection, natural gas is used as the main fuel, but here too, diesel fuel is necessary for the pilot ignition. In contrast to engines with additional intake manifold injection, there is a special injector that can inject both diesel fuel and natural gas. First, a small amount of diesel fuel is injected, followed by the actual fuel, natural gas. In contrast to the intake manifold injection, where the natural gas mixes with the air, with direct injection there is no time for mixture homogenization, which is why the oxygen diffuses into the natural gas during combustion and burns with a diffusion flame , as in operation with normal diesel fuel . In this way, more than 90% of the diesel fuel can be substituted. In order to be able to reliably inject the natural gas, it has to be in liquid form, as the injection pressure is up to 30 MPa and this can most sensibly be achieved with compressed LNG (liquefied natural gas). The disadvantage of the diesel engine with direct injection is that it cannot be operated sensibly with CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). Furthermore, because of the complicated injection system, a completely new design of the injection and fuel system is necessary; a conventional common rail system, as can be used in diesel engines with additional intake manifold injection, does not work with direct injection. The advantage, however, is that, as mentioned, diffusion combustion takes place. A conventional oxidation catalytic converter can therefore be used to meet the Euro VI emissions standard.

Mixture formation in gasoline engines

GAS-53-27 , a natural gas-powered truck with a V8 petrol engine, around the 1980s

In the Otto process, the mixture formation can take place both within the combustion chamber with direct injection and in the intake manifold with intake manifold injection. Both types of mixture formation can be combined. There are other important differences in the timing and duration of the injection.

Suction pipe injection

Suction pipe injection is easier to design than direct injection and only requires low supply pressures for injection. Only multi-point injection is used in which a single injection valve is assigned to each cylinder, since single-point injection at only one point in the intake manifold would cause undesired backfiring in the intake manifold. With multi-point injection, the injection valves are installed as close as possible to the inlet valve. There are two concepts with regard to the duration and timing of the injection: On the one hand, injection can be continuous over the period of all four work cycles of the engine, or it can be individualized for each cylinder. With individual cylinder injection, each individual cylinder is only blown in at a certain point in time. Ideally, the injection is synchronous with the intake, i.e. it takes place exactly when the inlet valve opens and air is drawn in by the piston. In general, due to the long mixture homogenization time when blowing in the intake manifold, the demands on the switching times are relatively low, which favors a simpler construction.

Direct injection

When the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber, there are distinctions based on the number of pulses of the injections (single and multiple injections) and on the basis of the point in time of injection (intake stroke and compression stroke injection). In the case of single injection, only once per work cycle is used, whereas with multiple injection, it is blown several times. It is still possible to blow in after the start of combustion. The point in time at which the fuel is injected primarily influences combustion anomalies (backfiring in the intake manifold) and the degree of mixture homogenization (degree of even distribution of fuel and air). An early injection into the intake stroke (intake stroke injection) takes place while the intake valves of the engine are open. This means that there is a lot of time available for mixture homogenization (even distribution and mixing of fuel and air), and the supply pressure of the injection valves does not have to be very high at approx. 1-4 MPa. Since the inlet valve is open during the suction stroke, fuel can get into the intake pipe and ignite in an uncontrolled manner, which must be avoided if possible. Furthermore, a homogeneous mixture is more likely to cause pre-ignition (undesirable self-ignition), which is harmful to the engine. With the compression stroke injection, the fuel is only injected after the inlet valve has closed, so that there is very little time for mixture homogenization. In this way, a good mixture stratification (no mixture homogenization) can be achieved. An ignition of the mixture at the exhaust manifold and intake pipe is excluded because of the closed valves, and a layered mixture is less prone to self-ignition. The injection pressure must, however, be at least 5 MPa significantly higher than with the suction stroke injection; if blowing in during combustion, the blowing pressure must be around 10-30 MPa to ensure a supercritical pressure ratio. The boundary between intake stroke and compression stroke injection is not clearly defined; if the injection is shifted to a later point in time, the transition from intake stroke to compression stroke injection is usually dragging. The advantage of direct injection over intake manifold injection is the higher achievable heating value of the mixture, which allows a higher torque.

Storage technology

Modern natural gas storage systems are based on the compression or liquefaction of natural gas. During the Second World War, on the other hand, there were also low-pressure accumulators, i.e. systems without compression or liquefaction of the gas, which, however, with a relatively large amount of space for the tank and extremely small ranges, were only practical in exceptional cases and are therefore no longer used today.

Historical low pressure storage system

The low-pressure storage system is a crisis technology and is only suitable, without exception, for buses that are used in regular inner-city traffic. A gas-tight rubber bag with a capacity of around 20 m 3 is set up on the roof of the bus , around which a tubular frame with a fabric covering is built. The gas is stored in the bag at atmospheric pressure. 20 m 3 of gas allow a range of approx. 13 km. In order to increase the range, a similar tank is carried on a special tank trailer, so that a range of around 25 km can be achieved with two tanks.

CNG storage

CNG storage systems store compressed gaseous natural gas and are primarily used for cars. The storage media are steel bottles or lighter but more expensive aramid fiber reinforced aluminum bottles. The natural gas is compressed in the filling station to a pressure of up to 20 MPa; pure methane at 20 MPa pressure and about 293 K, a density of 162 kg m -3 . The value of 20 MPa is a sensible upper limit, as it is slightly above the ideal value for methane, which is the maximum for the quotient of pressure and fuel mass. This means that the ratio of work that is necessary to compress the natural gas in relation to the storage density is particularly favorable at a pressure of 20 MPa. At higher pressures, the need for compression work would increase very sharply, and more stable accumulators would also become indispensable. The disadvantage of CNG storage is the large volume of the tank: A tank that can store 2500 MJ of energy in natural gas compressed to 20 MPa has a volume of around 300 dm 3 , compared to a tank for motor gasoline with the same energy content Volume of 80 dm 3 .

LNG storage

An LNG storage facility can hold liquefied natural gas. The requirements for the insulation of such a natural gas storage facility are very high, as liquid natural gas only remains permanently liquid at temperatures below 111.7 K (−161.5 ° C). For this purpose, super-insulators with thicknesses in the small centimeter range are used, whose insulation behavior is similar to that of meter-thick polystyrene walls. Within a period of three days, only 10% of the natural gas evaporates on average. Gas liquefaction systems at filling stations as well as compression and evaporation devices in the vehicle reduce the efficiency of liquefied gas storage, whereby the energy consumption for gas liquefaction alone is around 15% of the natural gas energy content. However, when considering the storage density and weight of the storage system, LNG storage is superior to other storage systems. This system is not used for cars, it is mainly used for LNG tankers .

Passenger cars running on natural gas

Series vehicles

Natural gas vehicles are available in several versions: bivalent , dual-fuel and monovalent .

  • Bivalent vehicles have engines that are designed for a conventional fuel (motor gasoline or diesel fuel), but can also be operated with natural gas without having to change engine components. Either primary fuel or natural gas is burned, but not both at the same time.
  • Dual-fuel engines mostly work according to the diesel process and are operated with two fuels at the same time . The diesel fuel mostly serves as a chemical spark plug for the natural gas.
  • Monovalent vehicles (monofuel) have engines that are primarily designed to run on natural gas. Conventional fuel only serves as an additional fuel. Otto engines designed from the outset for operation with natural gas usually have a higher compression ratio, which increases efficiency.
Opel Zafira Tourer 1.6 CNG Turbo at the IAA Frankfurt 2011

When refueling, the natural gas enters the pressurized gas tank, from where it flows through a multifunctional safety valve into the high pressure regulator. The storage pressure of the compressed natural gas in the tank is reduced from 20 MPa by the high pressure regulator to 0.7 MPa. Subsequent filtering prevents impurities in the natural gas from contaminating the gas metering system. The tank sizes for series models are between 12 and 37 kg of natural gas.

Converted petrol vehicles

Natural gas tank in 1998 converted Golf III
Switch from natural gas to gasoline and vice versa

Almost all motor vehicles with gasoline engines can theoretically be converted for alternative operation with natural gas. This is also where the advantage of the fuel lies, as the sophisticated engine technology and engine development of the automotive industry can be used because only a few changes need to be made to the engine itself. These particularly concern the valve train, which has proven to be a weak point in conventional gasoline engines due to the different combustion behavior of natural gas. The wear on the valve seat inserts can be considerably greater. If the ignition point of the basic engine is not adapted to the changed conditions (lower combustion speed compared to gasoline), the exhaust gas temperature is higher under full load, which can cause thermal damage to the exhaust valves. Without the necessary improvements to the basic engines, the durability of most units must be questioned.

Only a natural gas tank (steel bottles, composite bottles or modern EU-standardized plastic bottles), a supply line to the intake manifold and the corresponding engine management systems need to be integrated and adapted. In addition, there is usually a loss of space in the trunk if the tanks are not arranged below the floor as in series vehicles. A conversion must comply with the European ECE-R-115 directive with regard to technical equipment. The gas system must be entered in the vehicle registration document and vehicle registration document , otherwise the vehicle's operating license expires.

rating

economics

The advantages of natural gas vehicles are on the one hand the lower fuel costs compared to other fuels and the likewise lower tax rate for the fuel, on the other hand the possibly favorable classification with regard to vehicle tax. Bivalent vehicles are evaluated according to their exhaust gas values ​​in primary fuel operation. Quasi-monovalent natural gas vehicles represent a special case. In Germany, these are taxed in accordance with the lower emissions in natural gas operation despite the possible petrol emergency operation.

For the fuel natural gas, the German federal government lowered the tax rate on natural gas for all vehicles in public road traffic to 13.90 euros per MWh by December 31, 2020 through the law on the further development of the ecological tax reform from 2002. On June 29, 2006, the Federal Government passed the Energy Tax Act to favor natural gas for all vehicles on public roads until December 31, 2018. This reduced the tax break by two years. On February 15, 2017, the Federal Cabinet decided to extend it to December 31, 2023. From January 1, 2024, there will be an annual increase of up to EUR 31.80 / MWh from January 1, 2027. Converted to the calorific value comparison, there is an 80 percent tax reduction for natural gas compared to premium gasoline and approx. 70 percent compared to diesel Percent.

Ecological evaluation

In a study by the Ökoinstitut on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency, it was found that trucks with gasoline engines in which liquefied natural gas (LNG) is used as fuel have comparable carbon dioxide emissions to trucks with diesel engines in which conventional diesel fuel (EN590) is used as fuel. From this it is deduced that there is no environmental advantage for LNG trucks with gasoline engines compared to conventional diesel trucks.

Conventionally extracted natural gas has a carbon dioxide formation potential of less than 60 g · MJ −1 when it burns completely. Compared to conventional gasoline, this can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 20%. The reason for this is the lower carbon content of the natural gas. During combustion in gasoline engines, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions can also be reduced through the use of natural gas. Furthermore, operation in a gasoline engine allows higher compression and thus better efficiency, which has a positive effect on carbon dioxide emissions.

Filling stations for natural gas vehicles

New traffic sign 365-54 for natural gas filling stations on federal motorways

Development of the number of vehicles
with natural gas fuel and CNG filling stations in Germany

Orange: Vehicle inventory
Blue: Number of filling stations
Natural gas refueling of a Fiat Multipla with filler neck type NGV1
In buses and trucks, filler necks of type NGV2 are (usually) used

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

  • H-gas comes to Germany from Russia, Great Britain, Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark and has a methane content of 87 to 99.1 percent by volume. The calorific value is between approx. 10.0 and 11.1 kWh m −3 and thus higher than with 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 · m −3 .

There are two types of filler neck: NGV1 for cars and the optically very similar, slightly larger NGV2, which is mainly installed in buses and trucks. Another, relatively old system is also used in southern Italy. Filling nozzles at the filling stations help to bridge the gap between the standards. In Russia and neighboring countries, tank couplings according to the GOST standard are widespread.

Germany, Austria and Switzerland

On January 1, 2014, there were 917 natural gas filling stations in Germany. On January 1, 2008, the filling stations were predominantly with H gas and only 27 percent with L gas. As of July 2013, there are 134 filling stations in Switzerland, all of which dispense H-gas. In addition, the first biogas filling station in Germany has been in Jameln im Wendland since June 2006 . From the Raiffeisen-Waren-Genossenschaft (RWG) plant, the raw biogas from the fermentation of maize, grain and grass clover is refined to natural gas quality of group H-gas (methane content over 95 percent) using a newly developed treatment plant. In December 2007, Austria's first pure biogas filling station went into (trial) operation in Margarethen am Moos . The official start then took place on August 28, 2008. Since the end of 2011 this petrol station has been public (self-service with ATM card), i. H. you no longer need a chip to activate the fuel pump.

The Biofuel Quota Act , which has been in force since January 1, 2007 , obliges the mineral oil industry to bring a growing minimum share of its fuel sales in the form of biofuels into circulation (quota obligation). Energy suppliers who operate natural gas filling stations open up a new source of income through the admixture of regeneratively produced bio natural gas . The organic quota achieved in this way can be sold to mineral oil companies, who thereby fulfill their obligation to add organic ingredients.

Natural gas vehicles and natural gas filling stations worldwide

country Natural gas vehicles Gas stations
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Egypt 63,970 75,796 84,746 101,078 119,679 122.271 157.858 91 103 99 118 119 119 119
Algeria 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Argentina 1,446,183 1,459,236 1,650,000 1,745,677 1,807,186 1,901,116 1,900,000 1,452 1,458 1,400 1,801 1,851 1,878 1,878
Armenia 38,100 47,688 81,394 101,352 101,352 101,352 244,000 60 128 128 214 214 297 297
Australia 2,300 2,100 2,453 2,750 2,750 2,750 2,730 12 2 47 47 47 47
Bangladesh 41,314 54,715 80,000 150.253 177,555 193,521 203,000 122 149 118 337 500 546 546
Belgium 300 300 300 300 30th 176 241 9 5 5 5 5 5 5
Bolivia 35,810 58,267 64,828 99,657 121.908 140,400 157.426 62 88 87 123 128 156 156
Brazil 1,052,295 1,324,905 1,511,945 1,588,331 1.632.101 1,664,847 1,694,278 1,338 1,385 1,442 1,688 1,704 1,725 1,725
Bulgaria 7,305 12,500 25,225 60,255 60,270 60,270 61,623 11 17th 9 70 77 81 81
Chile 5,500 8.009 8,064 8,064 4,061 2,247 14th 12 15th 13 15th 15th
China 97,200 127.120 270,000 400,000 450,000 450,000 1,000,000 355 415 415 1,000 870 1,350 1,350
Germany 27,175 38,933 54,772 64,454 76,953 85,728 90.176 622 720 700 800 860 900 900
Finland 84 84 150 472 700 700 1,100 3 3 3 9 13 13 13
France 8,400 8,900 10.150 10.150 12,450 12,450 13,000 125 105 105 125 125 125
Greece 40 40 416 418 520 520 702 1 1 1 2 2 2 2
Great Britain 448 544 221 221 221 220 1 29 19th 31 31 31 12 12
India 278,000 334,658 439,800 586,000 935,000 1,080,000 1,100,000 259 325 321 463 560 571 571
Indonesia 6,600 1,000 1,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 5,520 17th 12 17th 9 9 9 9
Iran 63,779 229,607 315,000 846.169 1,665,602 1,954,925 2,859,386 96 326 326 584 1,021 1,574 1,574
Ireland 81 81 2 2 2 1 2 10 1 1 1 1
Iceland 56 56 63 77 77 77 255 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Italy 382,000 412,550 432,900 580,000 628.624 730,000 779.090 521 588 558 700 730 790 790
Japan 26,569 28,402 31,462 36,345 38,042 39,623 40,823 292 311 311 327 344 342 342
Canada 20,505 12,140 12,140 12,140 12,000 12,000 14.205 222 101 101 101 80 80 80
Kyrgyzstan 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6th 6th 6th 6th 6th 6th
Colombia 72,136 138,000 203.292 280.340 300,000 340,000 348,747 168 202 310 401 460 614 614
Croatia 100 100 100 152 152 152 152 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Cuba 45 45 45 45 45 1 1 1 1 1 1
Latvia 310 310 310 500 500 200 18th 4th 4th 4th 30th 4th 1 1
Liechtenstein 26th 26th 41 101 101 101 101 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
Lithuania 7th 80 133 133 195 1 2 2 2
Luxembourg 49 51 115 115 203 203 369 4th 4th 3 4th 7th 7th 7th
Malaysia 19,000 22,613 24,988 40,248 42,617 46,701 48,946 39 47 46 90 137 159 159
Malta
Macedonia 32 32 50 50 50 50 50 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Mexico 3,037 3,037 3,037 3,037 3,037 3,037 4,800 6th 6th 6th 3 3 3 3
Moldova 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 2,200 14th 8th 8th 14th 14th 14th
Montenegro 6th 6th 6th 6th
Mozambique 4th 4th 4th 251 519 1 2 2
Myanmar 200 4,343 10,900 14,884 22,821 22,821 26,472 14th 20th 20th 38 38 38 38
New Zealand 281 281 281 201 201 12 12 12 12 14th 14th
Netherlands 348 550 603 1.110 1,502 1,502 4,301 10 11 8th 21st 50 56 56
Nigeria 60 60 60 60 60 60 345 2 2 2 2 3 3 3
North Korea 4th 4th 4th 4th 1 1 1 1 1
Norway 147 147 147 180 180 375 394 4th 4th 4th 9 9 10 10
Austria 584 873 1,022 4,000 4,983 5,611 5,608 71 89 68 130 208 223 223
Pakistan 700,000 1,000,000 1,550,000 2,000,000 2,300,000 2,740,000 2,850,500 766 965 1,606 2,600 3,068 3,285 3,285
Peru 4,656 5,489 7,823 54,829 81.024 103.712 122.221 3 9 56 94 137 137
Philippines 14th 36 36 36 36 36 36 1 3 1 3 3 3 3
Poland 771 771 1,500 1,700 2,106 2,106 2,100 28 28 28 30th 32 32 32
Portugal 242 242 379 379 407 407 586 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Romania 18,000 22,613 24,988 24,988 24,988 39 47 46 46 46
Russia 41,780 60,000 95,000 103,000 100,000 100,000 86,000 213 215 213 226 244 244 244
Sweden 7,897 11,515 13,407 16,900 23,000 32,000 40,029 62 85 91 118 104 155 155
Switzerland 1,700 2,081 3,628 6,820 7.163 9,600 10,300 61 78 56 106 110 126 126
Serbia and Montenegro 95 89 210 (Serbia) 210 (Serbia) 210 (Serbia) 210 (Serbia) 2 2 7 (Serbia) 7 (Serbia) 7 (Serbia) 7 (Serbia)
Singapore 119 238 238 2,444 2,656 5,348 5,577 1 1 1 3 5 5 4th
Slovakia 286 286 337 426 426 426 823 7th 7th 7th 7th 7th 7th 7th
Slovenia 38
Spain 912 978 1,392 1,863 1,863 2,539 3,219 30th 31 28 42 42 44 44
South Africa 22nd 22nd 22nd 22nd 22nd 1 1 1 1 1
South Korea 8,762 11,578 13,137 17.123 25,744 32,441 80 107 226 227 159 165
Tajikistan 10,600 10,600 10,600 10,600 10,600 10,600 53 53 53 53 53 53
Tanzania 3 3 3 31 31 1 1
Thailand 8,500 21,799 33,982 127,735 162.023 218,459 300,581 41 76 44 303 391 426 426
Trinidad and Tobago 4,000 3,500 3,500 3,500 3,500 4,500 4,500 13 10 13 10 10 9 9
Czech Republic 455 615 660 1,230 1,755 2,700 3,475 16 24 16 33 37 33 33
Tunisia 2 34 34 34 34 2 2 2 2
Turkey 400 520 520 3,056 3,056 3,056 3,339 1 6th 5 9 9 12 12
Ukraine 67,000 100,000 100,000 120,000 200,000 200,000 390,000 147 200 147 224 285 285 285
Hungary 202 110 110 110 110 141 3 13 13 13 13 13
Uruguay 20th 20th 20th 20th
United States 146.876 146.876 110,000 110,000 112,000 123,000 1,340 1,340 1,100 1,300 1,000 1,000
Uzbekistan 47,000 47,000 47,000 300,000 43 43 133 133
UAE 250 305 305 305 305 1,751 2 4th 9 2 2 2
Venezuela 44,146 44,146 4,200 15,000 43,000 105,890 148 149 124 150 144 144
Vietnam 282 3
Belarus 5,500 5,500 5,500 5,500 5,500 4,600 24 24 24 24 24 24
European Union (territory 2010) 460,983 512,827 569,898 769.673 825.075 943.877 1,013,194 2,509 2,508
Total 4,595,709 5,769,682 7,394,505 9,394,544 11,355,785 12,674,402 15,192,844 10,695 14,654 16,513 18,202 18,154

Information on natural gas filling stations includes CNG and LNG stations that are operated publicly, municipal or privately. House connections are not included.

Drivers Club and Regulatory Authority Positions on Natural Gas Vehicles

ÖAMTC

According to the ÖAMTC published on July 25, 2013, natural gas (Compressed Natural Gas - CNG) is a marketable and immediately usable technology with environmental and price advantages as a fuel. However, this alternative has not yet established itself on the market. On July 25, 2013, the ÖAMTC and the Association of Gas and Heat Supply Companies (FGW) as well as Fiat, Opel and VW presented a package of claims to the next Austrian federal government. They were supported in this by the Austrian regulatory authority Energie-Control Austria (E-Control), which is responsible for the electricity and gas industry .

Requirements from ÖAMTC, FGW, Fiat, Opel, VW and E-Control
  • No fuel tax on natural gas until 2025 (“No MÖSt on natural gas”).
  • An Austria-wide purchase subsidy (e.g. NoVA exemption) until 2025 in order to achieve the same price as conventional drives.

In addition, the partners advocate an exemption from natural gas tax for biomethane fed into the natural gas network and withdrawn elsewhere (based on the tax treatment of biodiesel and bioethanol) as well as further incentives to switch to natural gas cars and other alternatively powered cars, e.g. B. through car tax concessions.

Pros and cons from the perspective of the ÖAMTC

One of the most important arguments in favor of natural gas for the ÖAMTC is its high cost-effectiveness: In 2013, a natural gas car could cover distances that are around 50 percent longer (diesel) or 100% longer (petrol) for the same amount of money. Nevertheless, according to the ÖAMTC survey, many consumers have reservations about natural gas cars. They fear an increased risk of explosion in the event of accidents and restrictions when entering garages.

“Both are unjustified. A crash test by the ÖAMTC confirmed the technical safety of natural gas cars. Entry bans in garages are based on the lack of a distinction in some federal states between liquefied petroleum gas and CNG. The legislature has some catching up to do here "

emphasized Bernhard Wiesinger, head of the ÖAMTC interest group.

ADAC

According to an ADAC study on what happens in a frontal and side crash in a natural gas vehicle, the risk of fire in natural gas vehicles is not increased compared to gasoline or diesel vehicles. Even in the event of an accident, the gas model hardly behaves any differently than the standard version. In a study carried out with Joanneum Research , he also comes to the conclusion that CNG vehicles have the best balance in terms of CO 2 emissions for the time being when considering the entire life cycle and that e-mobility cannot surpass them either .


Images on Wikimedia Commons

Commons : Natural Gas Vehicles  - Collection of Pictures, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 31.
  2. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 33.
  3. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 34.
  4. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 35.
  5. ↑ a b Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 36.
  6. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 37.
  7. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 38.
  8. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 39.
  9. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 42.
  10. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 43.
  11. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 53.
  12. ↑ a b Richard van Basshuysen (Ed.): Otto engine with direct injection and direct injection: Otto fuels, natural gas, methane, hydrogen , 4th edition, Springer, Wiesbaden, 2017. ISBN 978-3-658-12215-7 . P. 522
  13. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 419f.
  14. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 420.
  15. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , pp. 421f.
  16. ↑ a b Richard van Basshuysen (Ed.): Otto engine with direct injection and direct injection: Otto fuels, natural gas, methane, hydrogen , 4th edition, Springer, Wiesbaden, 2017. ISBN 978-3-658-12215-7 . P. 523
  17. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (Ed.): Otto engine with direct injection and direct injection: Otto fuels, natural gas, methane, hydrogen , 4th edition, Springer, Wiesbaden, 2017. ISBN 978-3-658-12215-7 . P. 524
  18. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 34f.
  19. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , pp. 54f.
  20. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 56f.
  21. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 267.
  22. ↑ a b Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 44.
  23. ↑ https://www.oeko.de/presse/archiv-pressemmeldung/presse-detailseite/2020/lkw-fluessiges-erdgas-ist-keine-option-fuer-klimaschutz (accessed on June 4, 2020)
  24. ↑ Richard van Basshuysen (ed.): Natural gas and renewable methane for vehicle propulsion in H. List: Der Fahrzeugantrieb , Springer, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-07158-5 , p. 52.
  25. ↑ ngv.ch
  26. ↑ Sources: NGV Group, NGVA, ENGVA, ANGVA, IANGV (* as of December 2008, information without guarantee); Data for 2010: iangv.org ( memento of May 29, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) - data for 2011: iangv.org
  27. ↑ a b Alternative natural gas . ÖAMTC, July 25, 2013. In some federal states, state laws do not distinguish between liquefied petroleum gas and CNG.
  28. ↑ ÖAMTC press release ÖAMTC: Alternative natural gas - safe, inexpensive, environmentally friendly (Part 1, + photo, + graphic) , July 25, 2013
  29. ↑ Crash test: No higher risk in a frontal or side crash in a natural gas vehicle . ADAC; Retrieved July 31, 2013
  30. ↑ report, p. 112 or Fig. 47ff; Retrieved on November 4, 2019 https://www.adac.de/-/media/pdf/tet/lca-tool---joanneum-research.pdf?la=de-de&hash=F06DD4E9DF0845BC95BA22BCA76C4206
  31. ↑ https://www.adac.de/verkehr/tanken-kraftstoff-antrieb/alternative-antriebe/klimabilanz/?redirectId=quer.klimabilanz

Remarks

  1. ↑ According to DIN 51624, the density of natural gas is in the range of 0.72–0.91 kg · m −3 , so it is not a fixed value and does not offer sufficient comparability. Therefore, the methane density is given here as a representative.