What are the disadvantages of CNG cars? Things you need to know

In India, petrol and diesel are the two major fuel types in the automotive market. Apart from the two most dominant fuel choices, the CNG or Compressed Natural Gas is the third most popular fuel option in the market. There is a small portion of vehicle users prefers the CNG version over the diesel and petrol counterparts due to its environment-friendly nature and the low running cost. These benefits are the major reasons for some car owners to get their cars fitted with CNG conversion kit or buy the factory-fitted CNG cars. Despite these advantages, the CNG cars also pose some disadvantages for the owner. Before deciding to buy CNG cars or converse your car to CNG-powered model, some might wonder, "What are the disadvantages of CNG cars?". IndianAuto will list out some major disadvantages of the CNG cars so you can make an accurate judgement. 

Higher purchasing cost

Compared to the petrol and diesel-powered counterparts, the CNG versions are usually more expensive in case the car manufacturer provides both diesel/petrol variants and factory-fitted CNG version. For vehicles that are not originally available with CNG kit, the owners have to pay an extra amount of money to converse regular car into CNG-powered version. 

Limited Availability

The biggest drawback of CNG cars which has held a lot of vehicle owner back from picking this option is the shortage of CNG stations. This type of fuel type is not available in some states in India. Even in the selected cities where the CNG fuel is available, the stations that provide CNG option exists in a limited number, which make it difficult for CNG users to reach or find such stations. Especially for those who usually travel around, finding CNG stations is a real challenge.

CNG fuel is not as accessible as other fuel types

Reduced storage space

The CNG tanks are installed on cargo space of the car. This additional fuel tank usually takes up a lot of space at the back. For vehicles with limited boot space like hatchback or sedans, the instalment of the fuel tank can consume most of the cargo space which hardly allows the car to load any luggage or stuff. The loss of boot space is one factor that you should take into account when considering buying CNG car or conversing your car into CNG-fitted vehicle.

CNG tanks usually eat a huge space at the rear boot 

Lowered performance

CNG cars are known for their highly environment-friendly nature. However, this benefit comes at the price of reduced performance. In most cases, the CNG-powered vehicles are usually less powerful than its diesel and petrol counterparts. The added weight of the CNG car can be an offset for the performance of the car. The acceleration of CNG cars is less impressive than the petrol-powered and diesel-powered version. Moreover, CNG cars’ performance is usually degraded after 3-4 years in use. As per some reports, the engine performance of CNG vehicles usually drops by 10 per cent after one year of regular use.

Engine injector issues

Apart from the lowered performance output, the instalment of CNG kits also put heavy tools on the function of the engine injector. It is advised that for the first drive, the CNG vehicle should run on the petrol engine. Petrol serves as an effective lubricant that can warm the engine up and help the motor to perform better. Otherwise, using the CNG for the first run might make the fuel injectors get dry easily. In the long run, it can cause a heavy impact on fuel injection and hamper the performance of the engine in the long run.

Lesser fuel range

Another essential disadvantage of the CNG cars is its shorter range compared to the diesel and petrol vehicle. The lower fuel range means that you will have to take the car to refilling station more regularly. Additionally, the fuel efficiency of CNG-powered vehicles is also lower than other regular vehicles.