Conversion to gas and petrol bi-fuel vehicle successful

[Genie47]

No idea.Would keep it all the way to the end though. Saves me money.

[Zhihao]

genie bro, sounds v chim...nt my field of study[confused] ...in a nutshell, do u think its well spent $ factoring in all considerations like maintenance, engine life, weight, accessibilty(assume the 3 more CNG stations r operating liao)....bla bla....u think its worth giving a go??

 

many thanks in advance!

[Genie47]

Wait and see if you want to be cautious.

 

There will be 4 refilling stations by the end of this year. 7 by next year. We just have to see if there is a critical mass of cars to push the oil majors into this as well. Put at least a CNG pump in their petrol kiosk.

 

Remember what happened to NZ. The more the gahment interfered, the project became a disaster. Argentina, the gahment was not involved and market forces were at play with the petrol tax as the main push.

 

Right now, the gahment (NEA) is encouraging with small projects hoping for people to bite. They will not sponsor or give rebate (actually a good thing). People have to take a risk. More people take risk, gahment respond by OKing more refilling stations or oil majors jump in to earn some money here. Less people take risk, less refilling stations. Works very well for me.

 

Your personal decision. If you want to give a go, 2000-3000 bucks looks pretty decent for a mod that is LTA approved.

[Nutty]

Kinda hard to predict how CNG will take off.

 

This needs to a certain extend gahment "support".

 

I would label CNG conversion as medium risk investment as of now, as there's is some degree of "support" from the authorities.

[Zhihao]

Ok. thanks a lot! ...nah, its not for myself, juz felt tat its quite an intersting idea & it looks cost savings pretty significant.

 

it will be interesting to note the response...lets wait n see ba...danke!

[Genie47]

The gahment is best not to show any form of "support" in the monetary sense. No rebates, no special stuff.

 

Since they keep harping on the "market forces" card. We should let the market forces show their hand. IMHO, the companies that are offering these conversions are private entities completely unrelated to the gahment.

 

So many factors right now. The boom of new cars (less conversions) is significant. It might be 3yrs before it hits critical mass but the bulk of cars from 03-04 will be reaching their end of warranty. This is a shiny horizon for CNG. These owners cannot give up these cars yet. The new cars have forced their cars to negative equity. Partly due to this, they might take the risk to get CNG conversions or they might not with the "why bother" attitude.

 

It will be pretty interesting in this last quarter.

[Nutty]

Two years ago, I thought Hybrids will be the trend for the coming years...

 

But there's still a lot of resistance and reluctance to take it up in SG, mostly due to the cost.

 

Now we have the CNG conversion kits. Let's see how it goes.

[Genie47]

Well, CNG got something hybrids don't have. You still got your car, it costs at most 3000 bucks and the fuel is dirt cheap. Hybrids got something CNG does not have right now. Petrol stations.

[Nutty]

CNG's situation pretty much a chicken and egg problem, isn't it?

[Hawker]

can we use the LPG in cyclinder type like the one use for cooking

[Yeobh]

CNG piping-in from Indonesia Natua, Sumatra and Msia & distributions are controlled by few GLCs. Oil companies are out of this game.Logically CNG will not be distirbuted in oil companies stations except maybe SPC ( a GLC) One CLG has initally promised to built 100 CNG stations - so far only talk but no action.Over reliance on CNG for power generations, industrial & domestic uses and powering vehicles is definetly not wise as currently the source of supply is only our neighbouring countries and the gas has to be piped in and cannot be stored in tanks due to its characterics. Until more distance sources can be tapped and the gas can be transported via specially built tankers in liquid state then it will be very viable to go ahead full steam.

Biodiesel should be explored to the fullest as the next reusable alternative energy. I believe in singapore there is abundant of supply of used cooking oil from food industry, fast food chains, resturants , hawker centres and even households

Edited July 24, 2006 by Yeobh

[Solar]

not sure how its exhaust gas is to be like..would it work with, and any problems with turbos or light pressure ones?

[Genie47]

It will thrive on turbos because the CNG has an octane rating of 120.

[Alveron2001]

LPG (which is mainly propane) is a compressed gas! When compressed it becomes liquid. CNG (which is mainly methane) when compressed is still a compressed gas. LNG on the other hand is frozen NG which turns it to liquid.

 

Just make sure we get it clear here.

 

LPG = Liquified Petroleum (or Propane) Gas.

CNG = Compressed Natural Gas (mainly methane)

LNG = Liquified Natural Gas (frozen to liquid methane)

 

 

Wah Lao ! Put a Compressed gas tank in your boot space ? What happens if car get rear ended ?

 

Propane & Methane can catch fire really really easy right ? Much easier than petrol. I've tried dropping a match into a small tin of petrol before and it didn't catch fire. Normally it's the fumes that light or must soak rag and light the rag.

 

At minimum the gas tank will burst violently like a fragmentation grenade. (broken shards ??!?!) Worst if it catches fire... Boot area will become a fireball.

 

My son sits behind ! Closest to the Boot !!!

 

Any info on the safety issue here ????

 

Think Solar/Batteries/Electric seems the safer way here....

[Zizou]

while i applaud any move that helps bring our cost of living down, i am not going to be naive and assume the government won't intervene... they could, especially if petrol tax revenue drops, by imposing CNG tax!

 

oh and btw mrt and bus fare increase announcements kick-off today

[Genie47]

Thousands of Argentinians and Italians can't be wrong. That tank withstands 3000psi. Which do you think will rupture first? Your petrol tank or your gas tank?

 

Then there is the properties of the gas. CNG is methane. Before you know it, it has floated away up into the atmosphere where the planes fly. LPG is propane, it will be different. It sinks and if you find yourself in a hole in the ground then maybe you got cause to worry. BTW, we are not using LPG here.

 

Don't compare gas with flammable liquid. Petrol is liquid and will coalesce in places and then the fumes when ignited will start a fire. Gas on the other hand, especially lighter than air ones will just float away unless you sprung a leak in an underground carpark. But they got ventilators so no problem.

[Dualie]

How abt maintenance cost? If the spare parts/repair cost are high, it may be a case of penny wise, pound foolish.

[Genie47]

If they intervene, they have to come up with an excuse like what they have for diesel. If it is car population control, then what is COE for? If it is traffic congestion, what is ERP for? Somebody must be really brilliant to come up wth a good excuse to execute a CNG tax.