NATURGAS: Increased conversion of gasoline vehicles to natural gas by 2023

Textual note taken from Naturgas, dated January 25, 2024.

Bogotá, January 25, 2024. According to the most recent analysis conducted by the Colombian Association of Natural Gas (NATURGAS), the conversion of vehicles to Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) increased 62.66% in the previous year, from 14,372 in 2022 to 23,378 in 2023. Bogota, Barranquilla, Medellin and Bucaramanga were the cities with the most vehicles converted to natural gas with increases of up to 196% with respect to the year 2022 (Bucaramanga case).

Regarding the entry of new vehicles with engines dedicated to Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) to the market, during the year 2023, the entry of 342 units was recorded, of which 310 correspond to heavy load vehicles with a capacity equal to or greater than 10.5 tons, which represented a positive variation of 20% in this segment; while for cargo vehicles with a maximum capacity of 10.5 tons, the increase was 50%, an important step of the cargo transportation segment towards sustainable mobility.

“Natural gas is a key energy within the energy transition process in the country, from Naturgas we are convinced that the time for natural gas vehicles is now. This industry has been very interested in the development of this energy source in the transportation sector due to its great economic and environmental benefits, positioning itself as the best alternative, both in the cargo and passenger transportation segments.“said Luz Stella Murgas, president of Naturgas.

This energy source is considered environmentally sustainable, because in addition to the emission reductions in its use in vehicles, the value chain for its production is responsible for only 1% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, on the other hand, it generates large savings.

For the Nation, modernizing only 3% of the country’s heavy-duty transport fleet to NGV would save the Fuel Price Stabilization Fund (FEPC) more than 346 billion pesos per year. In addition, natural gas vehicles also represent great advantages for the segment of light vehicles, especially for those with a public service vocation such as cab drivers, since, monthly, a cab driver of a vehicle converted to NGV, saves up to 1.5 million pesos, taking into account that using NGV instead of gasoline represents an economic saving of 52%.

The natural gas industry offers incentives for vehicle conversion. This change can represent a reduction of up to 94% of the particulate matter emitted into the environment and a reduction of up to 34% in carbon dioxide – a slightly smaller reduction than that of dedicated vehicles that reduce 99% in particulate matter and 50% in carbon dioxide with respect to gasoline; From an environmental point of view, the transformation of only 30% of the country’s cab fleet would reduce more than 310 TON of CO2 annually and eradicate more than 25 thousand tons of particulate matter in the atmosphere, making it an ideal cost-efficient option, in line with the economic reality of the country, complementing other energy options that, over time, could offer greater access, affordability and competitiveness.

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