CNG Conversion Kits and Their Vehicles

Comment

Comment by LeRoy Young on November 1, 2009 at 2:35pm

I am opening Green Garage in Encinitas, CA.

Comment by Chris Schneider on October 27, 2009 at 7:46pm

When was the last time you drove 795 miles in 1 day? To top that feat, I drove 795 miles in 1 day on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
I enjoy these rare opportunites to go to a public refueling system. It gives me a chance to see & experience new locations with new or different CNG refueling equipment. It also gives me a chance to accurately measure my fuel efficiency and the results were astounding.
Let's start this story in La Crosse, Wi with an 8 gallon tank full of CNG. Imagine driving 273.1 miles to the north side of O 'Hare Airport along Interstate 90 at 65 mph and refuel 5.429 gallons of gasoline equivalent (GG). A simple calculation 273.1/5.429=50.3 MPG! Astounding. And Ryan assisted me in the refueling process very professionally. But, since this is one of the few public refuleing systems in Chicagoland, I was charged $2.19 per GGE resulting in a charge of $11.88. Now, I know what you're thinking, how can you not be elated about driving 273.1 miles on $11.88. For instance, if your neighbor gets 48 mpg in their Toyota Prius, it would have cost them $15.30 or 29% more. But wait, this is just the 1st part of this astounding story.
Now, let's continue our journey east on I90 to my alma mater, Notre Dame to see none other than T. Boone Pickens! He engaged an audience of approximately 500 people about CNG as a transportation "bridge" to return to American fuel that is 50% more clean than diesel that we import from our enemies. He predicts that oil will reach $300 per barrel in 10 years. I get to shake his hand and give him a copy of our video, Journey to the Zone that is posted on my Pickens Plan page. It is a small example of our regional efforts that are dwarfed by the $62 million that he has spent inthe last 16 months across America.
Let's pop back into my 2006 Honda Civic GX (3rd generation of CNG Civics produced in America) and drive through the rain, road repair and speeds of downtown Chicago traffic to Racine. The rain and speeds reduce my mileage to 48.54 MPG but I refule for $1.109 for CNG! In total I have travelled 562.2 miles on $18.49 giving me an average of 30.4 MILES PER DOLLAR (MP$). Going back to your neighbors Prius getting 48 mpg, with gasoline at $2.69/ gallon, they would have gotten 17.84 MP$. I have completed my measured portion of the days adventure getting 70.4% better MP$ than a Prius. And that includes nearly half the trip calculations at fuel prices that are approximately double what you could refuel in your home with natural gas.
The third leg included more road construction, rain and finally fog but the Honda Civic GX slogged through 795 miles.
273.1 miles@50.3mpg@$1.109gge=$6.02
289.1 miles@48.54mpg@$2.109=$13.04
232.8 miles@48.54mpg@$1.109gge=$5.32
TOTAL 795 miles $24.38
If your vehicle gets 25 mpg, it would have cost you $85.54 to make the same trip. Saving $61.16 feels great but using clean American fuel is the part that T. Boone Pickens would appreciate for his grandchildren.

Comment by Oscar on October 20, 2009 at 7:21pm

Hey Dave, It is good to hear about the promotional road tour. Too bad there are no mid-west states towards the north. I guess winter scares off the the good old southern boys. We have been doing what is essentially the same thing up here for collleges and local governments. I hope you folks have many hits and no misses.

Comment by Dave Clement on October 20, 2009 at 3:04pm

CNG National Road Show
Click here for the website and schedule Starting next month, CNG vehicles and crew will start accross the USA to showcase natural gas vehicles. Please get the word out and see what you can do to help!!
Dave

Comment by Oscar on July 7, 2009 at 6:16am

I am behind you 100% John. I am familiar with your company. The red tapers make absolutely no sense to me either.
I am the proud dealer for Fuel Maker and waiting for production to resume in Jan 2010. Life is definately getting more interesting by the day.

Comment by John Reed on July 5, 2009 at 8:13am

I am a Director of a Company that has been converting diesel and gasoline engines to run on CNG for more than a decade. I can tell you that the biggest hurdle to adoption of CNG technology in the USA has been the turf war between CARB (the California Air Resources Board) and the US EPA over just who exactly is the overlord of exhaust emissions.
These two agencie's unwillingness to streamline, clarify or adjust regulations for new technology is legendary.
My company currently has the product and capability to convert 85% of existing in use heavy duty diesel engines to run more efficiently ( more power, zero PM, 30% less CO2, etc) on CNG or LNG than on any form of "clean diesel fuel" for less than $10,000 per engine, but CARB won't allow it...
In California, thousands of trucking, construction and agricultural diesels must be retro-fitted with Particulate Matter (PM) filtration systems or be moved out of the state by this December. The cost of these systems range from $8,000-$25,000 per engine. This ruling will wipeout entire businesses, and thousands of jobs. The retrofitting of these diesel engines actually causes them to use more fuel for the same work, thereby increasing our dependence on foreign oil, and actually increasing Green House Gas production.
CARB will not allow conversion of these very same engines to run on CNG, even though it pays for itself through decreased fuel costs, eliminates PM pollution ( the target of all this legislation), and decreases CO2 and GHG production as dictated by AB32.
Conversion fulfills all the goals, but CARB won't let it happen.
HOW are they stopping it?
According to CARB, if you convert an existing in use heavy duty diesel engine to run on CNG or LNG, they consider it a BRAND NEW engine, and the converting party must now Guarantee/Warranty the motor as if new. For on road engines, this means for 500,000 miles, and the engine must meet 2012 exhaust emissions standard. Doesn't matter if the engine is 10, 20 or 50 years old.
Additionally, as a BRAND NEW motor, each model/engine variant must be CARB and EPA certified to pass the 2012 standard at a cost of over $350,000 per engine per model per year of production.
What if you sell retrofit filters instead? You only have to warranty your retrofit equipment for two years, and there is no requirement to warranty the motor at all. If your system kills the engine, too bad for the owner...
Certification of these retrofits involves a simple durability testing, and they can be certified across a Family of motors covering many variants and model years with a single certification..
We actually sell the PM filters to other companies here in CA making retrofit kits, but we pulled out of that business ourselves because it is THE WRONG SOLUTION.
If CARB would simply allow CNG conversion to be treated the same as the retrofit kits, we could convert thousands of AG pumps in the Central Valley, and eliminate a large reason why they are a federal "non-attainment" area in terms of clean air. We could convert the entire fleet of container carriers at the Ports of LA and Long Beach, allowing them to expand operations as they would now fall well below the air pollution cap that has held back expansion. This creates JOBS.
So if you really want to "INVEST" in the Pickens Plan, invest some time in calling California Legislators and tell them to clean house at CARB...
Oh wait, these are the same idiots that still can't pass a budget....
Dr. John Reed
Omnitek Engineering

Comment by Karl Mayr on July 2, 2009 at 7:28pm

Hi CNG Group,

I am looking for a HQ directed agenda for speeding up the "implementaion curve" for CNG.

I am just a retired engineer, and I try to keep up with EERE Agenda, and how it fits a lot of our goals are being supported with "real-money".

The Feds are looking for accountability, that is, plant some seed money, and see how is "pays-back", and that is good..

"Accountability is a big consideration", when you look at results of any acts of "investment". Help me here.

Karl Mayr
CD for NM-01

Comment by Dave Clement on June 25, 2009 at 9:25am

Great show on tonight about CNG!
Please Spread the word!

Tune in to American Chopper on TLC, Thursday, June 25, at 9/8c to watch the crew from Orange County Choppers (OCC) build the world's first natural gas-powered chopper. Built to show America the promise of natural gas as a clean energy resource, and in conjunction with Chesapeake Energy's 20th anniversary, the talented crew from the hit TV show American Chopper partnered with the company to build a natural gas-powered bike. The episode covers the bike's production process as Paul Sr. and crew visit a drilling rig and learn how natural gas can power everything form a semitruck to a custom chopper.
See the bike in person. Follow the journey of the OCC natural gas chopper on Facebook and Twitter. It may be visiting your area soon.

Thursday, June 25 at 9/8c
Spread the word! This is a great opportunity to educate via a popular show!

Comment by Brian Oram on May 9, 2009 at 12:41pm

Hello,
I am working on an Energy / Environmental Solutions Expo in June 2009. I was hoping to have an exhibit table for the Pickens Plan, but I would need the following: someone to volunteer time at the table, materials for the table, and one of the district leaders to fill out an exhibitor form. I can get the fee waived. The event website is
http://www.pnesolutions.org
My email is bfenviro@ptd.net - I hope we could pull something together. If one of the District Leaders needs a form - just email me.

This will be a 16 county event with over 20 hours of educational opportunities.
We also have some exhibit space.
Thanks

Brian Oram

Comment by younkin on February 14, 2009 at 5:22pm

Thousands of Safe CNG Vehicles

In 2008, more CNG vehicles were sold or converted in the state of Utah than in the rest of the nation. This influx of CNG Vehicles onto Utah’s highways increased the need to ensure that CNG vehicles are safe and running clean.

Anticipating the need for trained CNG Technicians, approximately 120 CNG Technicians in the state of Utah were Trained and Certified as CNG System Inspectors and installers in 2008. There are now more Certified CNG Inspectors and installers in the State of Utah than any other State. These technicians have the repair facilities, experience and training necessary to carry out the CNG Inspections for both Safety and Emissions.

In an attempt to address public concern over the safety of CNG vehicles, in January of 2009 the Utah Highway Patrol ruled that if a CNG system was not “EPA approved” it was “unsafe” and not qualified for licensing, while a CNG system with a sticker of EPA approval was “safe”. This misguided ruling threw the fledgling but promising CNG industry in the state of Utah into death throws. It suddenly put thousands of conscientious citizens outside the law if they wanted to continue driving their clean running, safely converted CNG vehicles.

The proposed UHP 2009 inspections did not take into account the fact that all CNG systems, whether EPA approved or not, need to be verified safe and clean running by people trained and qualified to make that evaluation.

Who are CCATS and where did they come from?

CCATS (Certified CNG Automotive Technicians for Safety) was officially organized on January 13, 2009. It was formed in response to the UHP ruling that non EPA Certified CNG Installs were automatically unsafe and illegal to drive in Utah. CCATS members contend that ALL CNG INSTALLS whether EPA or not need to be tested for Safety and Emissions. If an install is safe and clean it should be legal.

CCATS currently has 8 members on its Governing Board and is open to any number of supporting members, contributing members and specialists.

Our Governing Board has in excess of 250 combined years of automotive experience. There are members on the Governing Board who have been doing safety and emission testing for the state of Utah since the inception of these programs. All voting members are certified or qualified in testing and repair of CNG systems, ASE certified A1, A6, A8, F1 and are certified CSA Inspectors for High Pressure Cylinder systems.

Our goal here at CCATS is to put thousands of safe, clean running CNG vehicles on the road and have Utah take the lead in demonstrating a viable, efficient system of certifying these vehicles on a regular basis. CCATS feels that education is the key to accomplishing this goal; educating the UHP, working with and educating various state agencies as well as educating the general public are all vital to our overall goal. CCATS will provide this education through our website, informational seminars, technical training, brochures and videos. (For more information about CCATS email: safecng@gmail.com or contact any board member)


Certified Automotive Technicians for Safety (CCATS) Proposes:

1- Providing CNG informational materials to share with the general public.

2- Creating Safety and Emission inspection procedures for CNG vehicles.

3- Providing CCATS training programs for UHP Inspectors, CNG Mechanics and CNG repair shops.

The implementation of these programs will:

1- Encourage more people to safely convert to CNG.

2- Contribute to safer highways and better air quality.


We all want clean air and safe vehicles. This proposal provides a way to encourage more CNG vehicles on the road, not less. Implementing this program can set an example to the United States and the rest of the world. Our CNG training, testing, certification and informational materials can be shared with others to promote clean, economical, safe fuel alternatives, and help reduce our dependence on foreign oil.



Sincerely,

Jim Younkin
Secretary CCATS
younkin@gmail.com
801-427-2284

For more information email safeCNG@gmail.com

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