CNG vs Petrol vs Diesel - What Type of Car Is For You?

by Mohammed Burman | 10/02/2019
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Read on to get a comparison between Petrol Vs Diesel Vs CNG cars so that you can choose the most suitable one for yourself.

Whether the number of personal cars should be reduced to resolve severe air pollution in India has been a heated debate for years. Although it seems difficult to forbid private cars from running on roads, there is another feasible solution: to use a vehicle which is run on a less-emission fuel. Realising the need to use more environmentally-friendly vehicles, many Indian people have chosen to drive CNG or petrol cars, but others still use diesel ones, which are now becoming less popular with Indian auto buyers. Let’s come to a detailed comparison among the three most popular car engines: petrol vs diesel vs CNG-powered cars so that you can make a wise a decision on choosing one for yourself.

CNG vs petrol vs diesel

A comparison of the three car types can help you make a wiser choice

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Questions to be asked

Before coming to the comparison, ask yourself the below questions:

  • What do I buy a car for? (to go from home to work and vice versa or to go on an expedition, etc.)

  • Which type of fuel will help keep my car well-maintained for a long time? (petrol, diesel or CNG fuel)

  • Which type of fuel will be the most economical for me? (gasoline, diesel or CNG fuel)

With the answers to these questions, you can make a wiser buying decision and a better choice among petrol, diesel and CNG cars.

Fuel Price of Petrol vs Diesel vs CNG

Refer to the table below comparison among the prices of the three fuel types

 Petrol    Rs. 78.57/Litre
 Diesel   Rs. 70.26/Litre
 CNG   Rs. 40.61/Kg

Fuel rates can vary, depending on the location. Therefore, remember to compare the fuel rates in the same position.

CNG tank in India

CNG fuel is the most affordable fuel type among the three

Petrol vs Diesel vs CNG: Upfront car price

The upfront cost of a diesel car is roughly Rs 2 lakh than a petrol one, making the former the most expensive car of all. A CNG car is priced around Rs 85,000 – Rs 90,000 more than a petrol-powered car.

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Petrol vs Diesel vs CNG: Air Pollution

Like LPG and propane, CNG too is a short-chain fuel, which has a lesser percentage of carbon as compared to its long-chain counterparts like petrol and diesel.

Diesel fuel contains more energy per litre than petrol and coupled with the fact that diesel engines are more efficient than petrol engines. However, when compared to petrol cars with a catalyst, diesels have higher emissions of NOx and much higher emissions of particulate matter. 

Petrol vs Diesel vs CNG: Mileage & Engine Life

Refer to the table below to check the average mileage and running price of petrol, diesel cars and CNG cars in the city.

   Petrol  Diesel CNG 
 Average mileage (city)  13 kmpl   16 kmpl  18 km/kg 
 500 km/month  Rs 2450 pm  Rs 1700 pm  Rs 1100 pm
 1000 km / month  Rs 5000 pm  Rs 3400 pm   Rs 2200 pm 
 1500 km/ month  Rs 7300 pm  Rs 5000 pm   Rs  3500 pm
 2000 km/month  Rs 1000 pm  Rs 6700 pm  N/A
  • Infrequent driving: If your car runs under 500 km a month (less than 5000 – 7000 km a year), a petrol car will be your best choice.

  • Average driving: If your car runs 800 km – 1000 km a month (10,000 - 12,000 km a year), CNG will be the most suitable fuel type for your car.

  • Frequent driving: If your car runs 1200 km – 1400 km a month (15,000 - 16,000 km a year), again, you should choose a CNG car.

  • High driving: If your car runs over 2000 km a month (more than 20000 km a year), a diesel car is the most suitable as it can help you save a massive amount of money on fuel and maintenance expenses.

Diesel refueling station in India

Diesel cars would be the best choice for your high-road drive

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Petrol vs Diesel vs CNG: Advantages and disadvantages

The tables below show the pros and cons of petrol, diesel and CNG cars in comparison with each other.

  Petrol   Diesel CNG 
 Pros  
  • Lowest price

  • Stable engine performance

  • The lowest level of NVH

  • Unrequired gas kit (low maintenance cost)

 

  • Low running expenses

  • Efficient long-term operation

  • Quicker acceleration thanks to fast fuel combustion

 
  • Lowest fuel price

  • Environmentally-friendly nature

  • Ability to flexibly switch from CNG to petrol and vice versa, thanks to the Retro Fitted CNG

 Cons  
  • Highest fuel price

  • Lower torque output

 
  • Initial high cost

  • A higher level of NVH than petrol cars

  • More expensive regular maintenance and spare parts

 
  • Limited capacity for CNG cylinders

  • Slow acceleration

  • Huge CNG kit taking up most of the boot space

  • Shortage of refuelling stations

 

petrol car in India

Petrol cars seem to be the most advantageous car type 

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Petrol vs Diesel: Which one is better?

By now, we have provided you with a detailed comparison among petrol, diesel and CNG cars regarding their fuel price, practicality as well as pros and cons. Have you made your own decision on which type of car to choose? If the answer is yes, let us know your choice in the comment section below. If no, do not rush since buying your travelling partner is as important as buying a house. So consider everything carefully before making the final decision, you will find your ideal car.

Read more tips and guides from IndianAuto

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