No, I am not kidding. This is a more serious post than the previous one.
The solution is simple. In four words:
Use compressed natural gas.
So, what is natural gas? And how do you convert your car into an NGV (natural gas vehicle) like some taxies have done in KL? Here are some facts on natural gas I found through the all-knowing Google and Wikipedia:
1. It is an environmentally friendly substitute to petrol, diesel and propane fuel.
2. It is much safer than motor fuel in cases of fuel spill because it is a gas so it evaporates when leaked unlike petrol which has to be chemically removed.
3. It is now being used by public transportation like buses and taxies, passenger cars, pickup trucks, medium sized lorries and school buses in certain countries. It was mandated in India and Pakistan that the public buses and taxies use natural gas. Here, some taxies have installed this system and some individuals have also converted their vehicles.
4. Normal cars need to be fixed with a pressure regulator to convert the gas from storage pressure to metering pressure and multipoint gas injectors to be able to run on natural gas.
5. Natural gas takes up more space because it is compressed gas and not liquid form. The tank to store it will take up space in the vehicle boot.
6. It only costs 63 sen per litre in Malaysia!
7. The government gives about 20% rebate on road tax if you convert your vehicle to NGV.
8. There are not as many natural gas stations as the normal petrol stations. Currently, only certain Petronas stations have natural gas.
9. It costs between RM2,000 to RM8,000 to install the NGV system and convert a passenger vehicle. The cost depends on the size of the vehicle.
10. NGVs have lesser power than petrol run cars but this was barely noticeable as it was only a very slight difference.
Many people are very apprehensive about converting their cars due to the huge initial lump sum. Forking out a few thousands at one go is a bit painful. I did some calculations and feel that if you plan to drive your car for at least five years without changing it, then it is worth it to change it into NGV. Here’s why:
Let’s say you paid RM4,000 to convert your car and you will drive the car for the next five years. This brings the cost of installing the system to RM66.70 per month.
Then lets look at the petrol costs each month:
Based on current RM2.70 rate, for a 40 litre tank, you spend RM108 each time you fill it up. So, assuming you pump petrol once a week, that’s RM432 each month.
Now, if you are using compressed natural gas, at the 64 sen per litre rate, for a 40 litre tank, you spend RM25.60 to fill up the tank. Four times a month = RM102.40. Add that with the cost of installing the system, RM66.70 each month, and you pay RM169.10 in total each month for natural gas.
So, in total you save RM262.90 each month and in five years, you would have saved RM15,774!! That is assuming that the petrol price will remain at RM2.70 for the next five years, which is impossible.
However, one of the really weak points of this system is that you will have to search for the stations that has it and in Penang, there is only one NGV station! But I believe that once more people opt to convert their vehicles, Petronas will see this and decide to open up more NGV stations to get more business.
Otherwise, we are all screwed.
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The stupid BN government
It makes the people suffer
This is the way I think
The leaders want the people to support them
Let you people feel the heat
You know the rule of engagement
Once you don’t agree with me
I make you suffer in your pockets
The BN government doesn’t think through
The sleeping beauty only knows how to announce
The corridors where he knows the wealth lies
The people suffering he turns a deaf trick
NGV gas stations
He should order it in plenty
Years of talking nothing really mushrooming
You see the leaders don’t get the goodies
Base on your calculation
The payback period will take a year
The subsequent hike on petrol
The motorists won’t feel the heat
Do they think about it?
The leaders can’t profit
So the project is delayed
Doing on half measures
Till today
Now they BN government has the money
The leaders should buy all the toll companies
Better pass a law to nationalize it for the people
In this way the companies don’t demand……….
Take back the utilities companies
Privatization is a failure anyway
Moreover the companies are owned by MOF Incorporated
Yet it is again protecting cronies
Where the problems lie for the people
The short cut measure
Change the government
In a stroke many changes can happen
The MPs should know what to do
Conscious tells them this is the truth
Let them shine for the people
BN just bunch of chicken, always talk cock! Whether they win or not, end result still the same! Pay More from us!
Too bad, we dun have NGV in Kuching/Sarawak. I will be happy to install one for my car if we can easily pump the gas here. Now, my car is mainly for business. Can’t drive my car for leisure. Cuti-cuti Malaysia is going to fail.
Choonies last blog post..My MIL Caught Me Without Pants
well, you really have to travel a lot of kms to gt your conversion cost back.
One thing that is missing in your article is that running NGV shortens the life of your engine.
NPV lacks the addictives added to petrol. It is a “dry” fuel and this lack of “lubrication” will shorten the life of the engine by nearly half. Some mechanics claim even worst. The most common failure is the seizure of the big end crankshaft bearings.
To overcome this problem most conversions retain a dual system. I.e it still retains the petrol system. The car is switched to running petrol at least pnce every few days.
I completely disagree with the bit regarding the safety features of NPV. The gas is stored under pressure and anything under pressure is extremely dangerous. Have you tried to puncture a can of aerosol?
Can you imagine if in a car accident you puncture the NPV tank? One tiny spark and Bang!!!….
Trust me. A tankful of gas stored at over 50 atmospheres meeting a spark is not a pretty sight.
caravanserai: I totally agree…the shortcut measure is to change the blardy government!
vincent: haih…the price we pay for having fools in the government
Choonie: same here lah. only one NGV station on the mainland….still cuti cuti malaysia is still better than going overseas because of the exchange rate…sigh…i think we might as well just cuti cuti di rumah…lol
engineer: haih, I am not mechanic mah. what I found was from google and wikipedia. eh, the foolish ministers should convert their official cars into NGV, doncha think? Then if suddenly got accident…KABLOOM!!! heheheheheh….
[...] initiate and comitted to build another 200 NGV gas stations until 2009 including major cities in Penang and [...]
When u are comparing dual-fuel (petrol vs CNG – Compress Natural Gas)
There are entire 2 different tank for the particular vehicle
Tank 1 – from car manufacturer 45~70 depanding on displacement* (No compression required)
NEW Tank 2 – NEWly install compressed tank at 200 bar which is weight in kg not liter. Maximum is 11kg of fuel.
Base on this your comment on saving is irrelavent