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Long before electric vehicles were en vogue, automakers experimented with alternative fuels to help clean the air. One alt fuel that never really took off was compressed natural gas, or CNG. The natural gas-powered Honda Civic was the most successful of CNG passenger cars, and now a rare final-year model is recently for sale on eBay Motors in Hampton, Va.
Runs Like Gasoline
A CNG vehicle - opens in new window or tab. runs much like a gasoline vehicle. Both use traditional internal combustion engines and are ignited by a spark plug - opens in new window or tab. to create power. In terms of steering, braking, and shifting, a CNG vehicle is no different than a gas-powered car. The major difference is the large, pressurized CNG tank taking up most of the trunk space.
Compressed natural gas consists mostly of methane. It’s sourced primarily from underground deposits, a byproduct of centuries-old organic matter. CNG inherently delivers more miles per gallon than gas. According to the EPA, a CNG car can lower greenhouse gas emissions by about 20 percent compared to a similar gasoline or diesel car.
Extracting CNG has its issues, though. Should methane escape into the air, it’s 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, according to the UN Environment Programme.
Numerous Awards
When Honda launched its CNG Civic in 1998, it was the only CNG car available for sale to the general public. Few automakers back then considered building anything but gasoline and diesel engines. If they did, they were marketed only to fleet customers.
The CNG Civic won numerous awards, including “Greenest Vehicle of the Year” from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, beating out even the GM EV-1 (a.k.a. the star of Who Killed the Electric Car - opens in new window or tab.).
From the outside, they were indistinguishable from regular Civics, except for subtle badging. However, a CNG Civic cost about $4,500 more than its gasoline counterpart. Plus, CNG filling stations - opens in new window or tab. were few and far between. (For more than a decade, Honda and other providers tried unsuccessfully to market CNG home filling appliances - opens in new window or tab..)
Three Generations
Another drawback to the CNG Civic was that it didn’t produce as much power as the gasoline model—110 horsepower compared to 143 for the gasoline Civic. One would have to be extremely environmentally conscious to put up with the cost and inconvenience of driving a CNG Civic.
Nevertheless, the CNG Civic soldiered on for three generations. During times when gasoline prices fell, using CNG to power your ride no longer presented a solid economic argument. Ultimately, electric - opens in new window or tab. and hybrid vehicles - opens in new window or tab. kicked CNG cars to the curb.
Showroom New
Honda built its final CNG Civic in 2015, so the car offered for sale is the last of its kind. It has just over 20,000 miles and looks to be in showroom-new condition. It seems odd that someone who drove so little would spring for the efficiencies offered by a CNG car. But the result is a near-mint example of an alternative-fuel car from the 2010s.
Most car collectors gravitate toward classics, high-performance cars, or exotics - opens in new window or tab.. But some seek out green cars - opens in new window or tab. with oddball technologies. For those buyers, this CNG Honda Civic is museum-worthy.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.