you want to do something good for our environment? So why not switch to a gas-powered vehicle. In the following article we will briefly explain what is involved in such vehicle models. This is not a question of how to retrofit standard vehicles, but only those models that the manufacturer already offers as a gas vehicle. This type of retrofit is only worthwhile under very specific conditions, also because the gas tank requires additional space in your trunk. In general, a distinction is made between CNG cars, which run on natural gas with an increasing bio content, and LPG/autogas-powered vehicles. The fuel of the latter is a by-product of petroleum refining and consists mainly of propane and butane. LPG has a much lower energy content and is also much more expensive. So you now know the most important advantages and disadvantages of natural gas and, accordingly, of natural gas engines.
- 1 the best natural gas cars 2020
- 1.1 place 1: the dacia duster
- 1.2 place 2: the audi A4 avant g-tron
- 1.3 place 3: fiat doblo 1.4 T-jet 16V natural power
- 1.4 place 4: the SEAT leon TGI
- 1.5 place 5: the skoda kamiq 1.0 TGI G-tec
- 1.6 place 6: the VW caddy TGI
The best natural gas cars 2020
With our natural gas car test we offer you an overview of the available natural gas cars. This list does not claim to be complete, because we only want to present you the best gas vehicles from our point of view. In addition to the new cars that we discuss here, a corresponding market for used vehicles has now also developed. These come, for example, from the fleets of large companies that have invested early in this more environmentally friendly drive technology.
Place 1: the dacia duster
this popular vehicle model is now also available as a natural gas model. this is currently the dacia duster tce 100 ECO-G 2WD. This 1-liter car has a tank for LPG/autogas as well as a tank for premium gasoline. The gas consumption is around 7 liters per 100 kilometers. This makes it significantly more economical than comparable gasoline engines. It should be noted, however, that this gas car does not have a fuel consumption gauge. With a full gas tank, the range is around 300-400 kilometers. In practice, however, this is not a major problem, firstly because there is still the petrol tank and secondly because the network of filling stations is now much better developed.
2nd place: the audi A4 avant g-tron
This mid-size vehicle is a natural gas model with a large CNG tank. This vehicle is equipped with a gasoline engine with 2 cylinders as a 2-stroke engine.0 TFSI. This can deliver a maximum torque of 270 nm and a power of 170 hp. The combined consumption of CNG natural gas is 4.1 kg/100 km, which corresponds to energy efficiency class A+ with 113 g CO2/km. this vehicle has been around for several years and there are no known problems with this natural gas car.
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3rd place: fiat doblo 1.4 T-jet 16V natural power
This high roof station wagon belongs to the category CNG cars. So you are well equipped for the future with natural gas. The vehicle offers enough space for the whole family, but is also suitable as a commercially used car for craftsmen. Thus, the manufacturer offers the car even with a total of seven seats. But then you hardly have any space left in the trunk, and the third row of seats is not suitable for fitting a child seat either. Gas consumption is average at 4.9 to 5.5 kg per 100 km, and the engine can deliver 120 hp.
4th place: the SEAT leon TGI
This vehicle only received a new engine in 2019 with 1.500 cc displacement. This compact vehicle model is also a CNG car. The new vehicle engine now delivers 130 instead of 110 hp and achieves a maximum torque of 200 nm. The total range of around 550 kilometers is the result of three natural gas tanks for a total of up to 17.3 kg of CNG gas, plus the 9-liter reserve tank for gasoline. Without the reserve, the fuel lasts for about 400 km.
5th place: the skoda kamiq 1.0 TGI G-tec
The natural gas version of this small SUV model is also supposed to be fun to drive. However, the CNG tanks mounted at the rear of the vehicle restrict the typical, rather small SUV trunk to just 278 liters. After folding down the rear seats, however, you still have up to 1,273 liters of cargo volume at your disposal. The built-in 1 liter natural gas engine achieves 90 hp, with a manual six-speed gearbox to assist me. It accelerates to 100 km/h in twelve and a half seconds.
6th place: the VW caddy TGI
The VW caddy is also a high-roof station wagon model suitable for families. the base price for the natural gas model is around 25.000 €. However, you should bear in mind that the standard equipment is very meager and almost all features are associated with a surcharge. With an engine power of 110 hp, the vehicle consumes 5.2 kg of CNG per 100 kilometers.
Conclusion
Gas-powered vehicles are now available in a much wider range than just a few years ago. This makes the market a little more confusing, but our article can give you an initial overview of the individual models from different manufacturers. On this basis, you can take a look at the individual vehicles live and also arrange a test drive – after all, your new vehicle must also fit in with your everyday life. In the end, you can protect the environment and save on fuel costs by using a gasoline-powered vehicle.
- If you buy a natural gas car, you may be able to enjoy the corresponding subsidies. This drive technology is particularly common among local energy suppliers. In this way you can benefit from around 2.000 euros offered to you as fuel vouchers. there are also some municipal subsidies, depending on what you want to use your gas vehicle for.
- Natural gas in the form of CNG gas is generally charged on a per kg basis. This makes it seem a bit more expensive than it actually is. This is also partly due to the fact that the energy density is higher than that of autogas. CNG stands for compressed natural gas, which is a compressed naturally occurring natural gas. In addition, new manufacturing processes are making them more and more environmentally friendly.
- the maintenance costs of a natural gas car are slightly higher than those of a comparable gasoline car. This is due to the mandatory tank testing. We also recommend that you install a natural gas detector in closed garages, should there be a leak in the system. The tax on natural gas cars is low, because they emit very little CO2.
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A cheerful mechanic with a lot of experience who plays in AUTODOC’s video tutorials; has never been seen without his glasses; drives a BMW X5 E53; dreams of receiving a gold play button that comes with the number of 1 000 000 youtube subscribers.