6 Things To Know Before Opting For A CNG Kit For Your Car

05 Aug 2021

Right from reading our science textbooks in school to listening to Greta Thunberg’s persuasive speeches, we have all felt compelled to do our bit for the environment. As adults, one of the mid to long-term steps we can take to reduce our carbon footprint is to opt for a CNG vehicle or get a CNG kit for the car that we may already have.

Today, most four-wheeler manufacturing brands offer CNG-based cars due to their growing popularity and their environmental consciousness. The numerous benefits for Mother Earth offered by CNG as opposed to conventional fuels like petrol and diesel have also led to more and more people opting to get a CNG gas kit for the car through retrofitting.

Benefits of CNG-run cars

If you are concerned about the quality of air and ozone that your children will live under, you will feel better knowing that CNG has a big role to play in preserving the air quality around us. CNG-run vehicles have been proven to emit 20-30% fewer greenhouse gases than their petrol and diesel counterparts. That's not all, CNG emits 95% less nitrogen oxide than petrol and diesel. This means less smog and more breathable air! It can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30%, carbon monoxide by 85%, and emissions of carcinogenic particles by up to a whopping 99%.

Factors to consider before opting for a CNG kit for the car

Before you let your eco-friendly mind rush towards the decision of buying a vehicle that runs on CNG or retrofitting your existing car with a CNG kit, there are six things you need to know:

• CNG may be unavailable at many gas stations:-While there are many petrol and diesel stations in most localities, a CNG fuelling station might not be present at all of them. Many states don’t have a strong incentive to develop CNG stations which leads to fewer opportunities to build them. With the increase in the number of CNG-run cars on the road but an unequal increase in the fuelling stations, the time taken at the fuelling station waiting for your turn to fuel your CNG-run car can turn your hair grey.
  So, if you are considering opting for a CNG-run vehicle or retrofitting your existing one, then first check out the availability of such stations around your place of residence. While your motives to get a CNG kit for the car may be noble, it will do you no good if you have to travel many kilometres to simply refuel.
• Costs of installing and maintaining the CNG kit can be high:-The cost of CNG kit fitting can be quite discouraging. Retrofitting your car with a CNG kit can cost you around INR 50,000, depending on the car make and model. Another factor to consider is the maintenance cost of a CNG car. Your CNG car will need to make more trips to servicing than your average petrol or diesel car. So take into account your servicing charges before finalising on opting for a CNG car.
  If you decide that the cost is worth it, verify the authenticity of the CNG kit you buy. Beware of unauthorised sellers with fake CNG kits. Ask to see the authorisation of the seller if need be before you pay for your new CNG kit.
• Your car may not be suitable for retrofitting :-You will need to check out the list of cars (different make and models) that can be converted into CNG. This list is available at your Regional Transport Office (RTO). You can also check out the official website of your car’s manufacturer for this information. Most old car models are incompatible with CNG kits as they don’t have space or other specifications required to make a CNG kit work. In case you do find that your existing vehicle can be converted into a CNG-run vehicle, make sure you get the necessary permission from the RTO to make the conversion. Once your car Registration Certificate is updated to reflect the change in ‘fuel type’ and stamped by the RTO, you can legally take your retrofitted car out for a spin.
• Change in car performance:-Installing a CNG kit for the car can lead to a significant change in its performance. This is because, in original petrol or diesel-run car, the fuel itself acts as a lubricant for the engine and valve. This reduces corrosion and maintains the state of the engine. However, CNG cannot do that. The result? Your CNG-run car will need more visits to the service centre than your petrol variant car.
  If your car is originally a CNG-run one, there will be no performance problems as the manufacturer already takes into account the potential corrosion problems and prevents it.
• CNG costs relatively less than petrol or diesel:-We mentioned how discouraging the high installation cost of the CNG kit can be. Thankfully, you can recover these costs over time, as CNG costs far less than petrol or diesel. Although the prices of petrol and diesel fluctuate quite a bit, at an estimate, the per kilometre cost of CNG is almost one-third that of petrol. Plus, the ever-increasing prices of conventional fuels means that CNG will keep costing less compared to petrol and diesel.
• Car insurance premium for CNG cars can be higher:-You may already know that your car insurance premium depends on multiple variables such as make and model of the car, ex-showroom price, fuel type, and type of insurance you want. Typically, the car insurance for CNG cars is higher than that of petrol and diesel cars. It can be an average 10% higher than their petrol and diesel variants. However, in the long run, it is wise to get this insurance as it can save you from incurring other higher costs in case of accidents or mishaps. Please note, if you are changing your car from petrol or diesel-based to CNG, you will need to inform your car insurance provider and update them about the same. You will also need to pay the difference in the car insurance premium.
  Take a few days to ponder over the pros and cons of buying a CNG car or getting a CNG kit for the car If you decide to invest in a CNG-run car, make sure you fill out the correct details when applying for car insurance as the rules that govern a CNG car insurance are different from that of petrol or diesel car insurance. Similarly, if you retrofit your existing petrol or diesel car with a CNG kit, make sure you update your car insurance to reflect the same. You don’t want to get caught up in tedious corrections later, or have your claim rejected over a small mistake, do you?

Making an informed decision is important when it comes to choosing the kind of car you will be driving regularly. So, take your time, and consider the points listed above before you make the final call.

Disclaimer: For more details on risk factors, terms & conditions please read sales brochure carefully before concluding a sale. *The discount amount will vary subject to vehicle specification and place of registration