CHICAGO — The Tribune`s article on natural gas vehicles (July 5) contained a great deal of information about these important alternatives to gasoline-powered cars. Here are some additional facts to round out a more complete picture on cars that use compressed natural gas (CNG) and to correct a few mistaken impressions.
CNG vehicles are not all underpowered conversions of gasoline engines. When vehicles dedicated to CNG use become widely available (some are available now; we are working on others), their power and performance will be comparable to gasoline vehicles.
CNG cars soon will have an extended range. Cars that have been designed to run only on CNG will have plenty of natural gas fuel to travel 200 or more miles without a fill-up. Major car manufacturers already have hundreds of prototype dedicated natural gas vehicles on the road, including 2,400 GMC pickups, 400 Chrysler vans and 50 Ford Crown Victorias.
The pressure vessels that hold CNG do require somewhat more space than a storage tank for liquid fuels. However, these pressure tanks are more easily accommodated in a vehicle designed for natural gas use and therefore will not rob a truck or car of cargo space.
CNG is as safe as gasoline, if not safer. Any comparison to the hydrogen- powered dirigibles of the 1930s is inappropriate and misleading.
Although your portrayal of few-and-far-between CNG fueling facilities is accurate, I feel obliged to point out that we are seeing robust growth in the number of new fueling stations being installed. Gasoline retailers now offering CNG at their stations include Amoco, Conoco, Shell, Mobil, Unocal, Texaco, Hess, Fina, Diamond Shamrock, Vickers and Phillips 66. California will triple the number of CNG stations by the end of 1993, and the number of stations nationwide offering CNG has increased 50 percent over the past year. The article focused only on the light-duty end of the market. Every major diesel engine manufacturer in the United States also has natural gas engine developments under way. Between 1993 and 1995, natural gas engine options will become available for other applications, such as transit buses, school buses, delivery trucks, utility vehicles, refuse haulers and even long-haul tractor trailers.
Natural gas has much to offer transportation in the way of cleanliness, efficiency and safety. CNG vehicles are the cars of the future-today.