Is the Performance the Same as Gasoline?

This is the most frequently asked question that others have when talking about driving on CNG.  The truth is that it is not the same.  It is similar at times, but CNG does not generate the same power that gasoline does.  I pull a boat which weighs in the neighborhood of 3,500 lbs.  I can notice a difference when ascending a hill and pulling the boat out of the water.  I always conduct sort of an informal poll among the oil field guys that I talk to while we are both filling up and they report the same observation.  I cannot really notice much of a difference when driving unloaded at my usual at or just below the speed limit pace.





I was doing some research on the 2015 Chevy Impala which will be a bi-fueled vehicle and I noted that GM published a 30 horsepower difference between CNG and gasoline for this vehicle (230 vs 260).  I will spend some time covering this vehicle in the future but here is the current info from the Parkway Family of auto dealers.

There is some pretty cool technology out today by way of devices that connect to the vehicle and relay data about certain vehicle parameters via bluetooth  to electronic devices which have apps designed to interpret and display that data.  However, this blog is just my 2nd hobby and I have to operate with budget neutrality or else face the questions which I sometimes can't generate a good answer for.  That said, if Santa is good to the closet nerd this year I hope to be able to publish actual data on horsepower and other parameters after the first of the year.  So please stay tuned!

Back to the discussion of performance, there is a remarkable advantage to a bi fueled vehicle.  Under normal everyday driving conditions, the vehicle operates adequately on CNG, which cuts my fuel expense in half. This is significant for me in that I seriously considered purchasing a second economy car to drive every day, while keeping my truck for the truck type duties.  By opting for the bi fueled vehicle, I saved the expense of a second vehicle insurance, tires, oil changes and general maintenance stuff that creeps into my wallet.  I also cut my carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other nasty emissions far below the levels of gasoline emissions. When I do need the additional horsepower that only gasoline can generate, I can simply push a button and it is there.  I realized this remarkable potential for this advantage as I did my research before I ever actually drove a CNG vehicle. I hoped and I am glad to say that so far it has been true.  So, is it the same? No.  In the end does it matter?  Not one bit.