Even more manufacturers of traditional combustion engine cars offer original modification for gas propulsion. In our part is more common the modification to combust LPG, because propane-butane itself is more available and it is also easy to store. But from the emission point of view its combustion is comparable to ordinary fuel, so it brings savings mainly in the expenses, because its price is half.
We could meet the CNG modification mainly rather by mass transport vehicles, where the ecology point of view is the most important and against smoky diesel is the water vapour coming out of the exhaust of the CNG car an enormous change. For a bus the bigger tank is not such a problem, as well as the transport company can build its own filling station.
However the manufacturers try to persuade us, that CNG is suitable also for an ordinary passenger car. For example, in Germany the filling station network is already widespread, so the availability is not a problem any more. However the range about 200 to 300 kilometers is still suitable rather for city traffic, such as taxi, delivery, commuting and shopping, etc., where often visits to the filling station don't embarrass and the half fuel price means much.
The car rental offers vehicles Fiat Panda 1.2 Natural Power and Fiat Multipla 1.6 Natural Power. But the prices are pleasant. Panda is available just for 500 CZK for one day borrow and 400 CZK per day for more days. Longer hire is even better, so for example one year hire costs 107 540 CZK, which is about 300 CZK a day. Fiat Multipla costs 900 CZK for one day borrow and 720 CZK per day for more days. One year hire is 193 100 CZK, which is about 530 CZK a day. The prices include tax.
So the prices are low and able to compete to ordinary car rentals. Fiat Multipla just for 720 CZK a day already for a two day hire is available rarely. So it only remains to forgive the smaller boot space and overcome the scare of the "bomb" behind your back.
In the name of CNG promotion you can see much on various expositions. On this year's Autoshow in Prague exposed Česká plynárenská the model of the filling stand and three CNG cars - Volkswagen Caddy, Citroën C3 a and right Fiat Panda, which you can look at our photos. Don't be misled by the empty boot of VW Caddy and C3, beneath the bottom plate there are the ordinary gas pressure tanks, so the spare wheel must be carried on different place. Panda Natural Power can be recognized also by the logo on its back, as you can see on the Photo from Frankfurt, where Panda was exposed too.
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