What are the disadvantages of converting a car to natural gas?
2 Answers
Here are the disadvantages of converting a car to natural gas: 1. Power reduction: Due to the low energy density of gaseous fuel, natural gas vehicles carry less fuel and have a shorter driving range compared to gasoline vehicles. After converting to natural gas, the power of gasoline cars often decreases by about 10% to 20%. 2. Increased weight: Since current natural gas vehicles are modified based on original gasoline or diesel vehicles, most of the original fuel systems are retained. Therefore, adding a natural gas fuel system to the original car, especially the gas cylinder, reduces the effective space in the trunk and increases the vehicle's weight. 3. Difficult to store and carry: Natural gas is a gaseous fuel, making it difficult to store and transport.
Let me talk about the pitfalls of converting to natural gas from an economic perspective. The conversion cost can easily run into thousands of yuan. While the unit price of natural gas is lower than gasoline, it would take several years of driving to recoup the conversion cost through fuel savings. During this period, there are additional expenses: insurance premiums usually increase because insurers view modifications as risk factors; maintenance also becomes more expensive, with regular inspections required for gas cylinders and pipelines—any issues can lead to hefty repair bills. After squeezing a bulky steel gas cylinder into the trunk, storage space shrinks by half, making everyday shopping a hassle. Moreover, when selling the car second-hand, buyers generally worry that the aftermarket conversion might have caused accidents or severe engine wear, leading to a 30% lower valuation. Crunching the numbers, unless you drive high-mileage vehicles like taxis, the overall costs are far less economical than imagined. You might also end up wasting more time refueling due to the scarcity of gas stations—time is money, after all.
