According to International Association of Natural Gas Vehicles, as of December 2008, Pakistan has the world’s highest number of vehicles running on compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The number is 2 million. Pakistan also has the World’s highest numer of CNG refuelling stations. i.e. 2941(updated as of July 29, 2009). This growth has been phenomenal noting that CNG as a fuel was made available in Pakistan, only in 1992.
For many years, Argentina and Brazil used to be the world leaders in terms of number of vehicles using CNG. Pakistan overtook Brazil in 2006 and Argentina in 2008 to become the world’s largest consumer of CNG in vehicles.
Why Pakistan has got so many vehicles running on CNG? I believe, main reason is because gasoline (Petrol) prices in Pakistan are among the highest in the region as well as natural gas is found abundant and locally in Pakistan.
The use of CNG in vehicles brings an added blessing that it is much less polluting than regular gasoline (petrol). The emissions coming out of CNG vehicles consists of water vapors and carbon monoxide (CO). The CO content in CNG exhaust is also 90% less than CO found in gasoline (petrol) exhausts.
In Pakistan, car companies are now offering vehicles which come factory-fitted with CNG kits. These vehicles sell for a premium of approx 30000 rupees (US$ 375) as compared to gasoline (petrol) vehicles.
With Pakistan going full ahead with making CNG as the primary fuel source for transport, one concern is that Pakistan is depleting its Natural Gas reserves faster than ever before.
As you can see in the photo below, supply of CNG at refuelling stations is dependent on natural gas supply.
Another presumed, and I repeat ‘presumed’ downside is the low driving experience of CNG vehicles. CNG vehicles, in general have lesser pick-up than gasolins (petrol) engine pick-ups but I guess when it comes to the choice of money (and environment) over driving experience, more and more people will be willing to use CNG.
Following is a list of Top 10 countires of the world in terms of number of CNG vehicles on their roads. The number in parenthesis show number of CNG refuelling stations in those countries.
1. Pakistan: 2,191,000 (2941)
2. Argentina: 1,745,677 (1801)
3. Brazil: 1,588,331 (1688)
4. Iran: 1,000,000 (500)
5. India: 650,000 (463)
6. Italy: 580,000 (700)
7. China: 400,000 (1000)
8. Columbia: 280,340 (401)
9. Bangladesh: 150,253 (337)
10. Thailand: 127,735 (303)
What do our readers think about use of CNG in vehicles?
If you want to learn more about CNG’s use in vehicles, I found this very informative FAQ page. See here
References:
1. International Association of Natural Gas Vehicles
2. cng.com.pk
3. List of Countries and # of CNG vehicles.
4. Price comparison of cars in Pakistani market with and without CNG. See here
Photos: Associated Press of Pakistan
My father converted his Toyota Cressida to CNG in 1979 with a kit that he bought in Italy. CNG was available at petrol pumps back then. His cars have been on CNG since. I wonder what the article means that CNG has been available since only 1992. Different type of gas?
my concern for the last few years is that the only thing which Pakistan had in abudance was natural gas. which was enought for domestic and commercial [factories and to make electricity] till 2025.
but in 2000s onward some ‘champion’ come up with this idea to fill that into compress and fill it in ‘capsules’ and used in Petrol vehicles [mostly used by upper Middle class/rich] poor uses mostly Diesel [as tractors,commercial vehicles, buses, trucks]. and as result the Gas which was suppose to be enough till 2025 and now almost Finished.
so enjoy CNG.
Daktar, I also have the same opinion that massive use of CNG in Pakistan is mostly because petrol prices are too high. People already crushed under under high pressure of commodity prices opt for any respite available. In case of transport, it comes in the form of cheaper CNG.
I am sorry but we may be getting a little carrie away here.
First, this has very little to do with policy and much more with price. Petroleum got so expensive that people started converting to CNG on their own even in the 1980s, so many people did that that the big companies wanted to get in on teh act and that is what happened.
Second, and Prof. Najam can correct this, CNG is NOT good for the environment. It is better than petroleum just because petroleum is so much worse. That does not make it good for the environment. It is still a hydrocarbon with bad impacts on the environment, just not as bad as petroleum.
Finally, we are doing with CNG what we did with Sui Gas, wasting it on a sub-optimal use. This is NOT the best use of CNG economically specially since this also being imported.
I am glad we have more CNG vehicles than petroleum, but at the end of the day that is a sign of people’s economic hardship and not of our technological innovation.
We all must appreciate excellent efforts being made by ATP to provide useful and interesting information on Pakistan to its readers.
This article is good example of it.Its informative and useful. If a little further effort is made in the next phase to provide more details about “crude form”(desi Tarika) of filling CNG by unauthrized dealers/sellers, that will add more colour to the article