Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX
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Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX
In what it describes as an industry first, Honda Motor Co. is offering a natural gas vehicle with its own home refueling machine at dealerships in California.
Honda said Thursday it has been offering its Honda Civic GX sedan to fleet operators for seven years, and estimates there are 7,000 of the natural gas-powered vehicles on the road. But this will be the first time consumers can buy the vehicle in a dealership and lease a refueling machine to go along with it.
"Driving a natural gas vehicle has never been so convenient," said Gunnar Lindstrom, Honda's manager of alternative fuel vehicle sales.
Honda said it expects to sell about 300 of the vehicles this year through 17 dealerships in northern and southern California. FuelMaker Corp., which makes the refueling machine, also will make the machine available to consumers in Arizona, Salt Lake City, Dallas and Milwaukee, although the Civic GX won't be on sale in those cities.
Honda said the Civic GX can go up to 220 miles without refueling and costs about 3.75 cents per mile to fuel. A conventional, gasoline-powered Civic can go approximately 350 miles without refueling and costs 8.8 cents per mile to fuel.
The Civic GX has some of the lowest emissions of any vehicle on the road, Honda said. On average, a car with a natural gas-powered internal-combustion engine emits 87 percent less nitrogen oxide, 70 percent less carbon monoxide and 25 less carbon dioxide than a car with an engine that uses gasoline, according to Honda.
The refueling machine uses a home's existing natural gas lines and can be installed for $500 to $1,500. Dealers will lease it for between $34 and $79 a month, Honda said. The lower leasing price factors in possible clean-vehicle incentives from state and local governments, Honda said.
There are a few downsides. If the vehicle runs out of natural gas on the road, it would have to be towed to the owners' home or one of the 100 California gas stations that now have natural gas refueling tanks. The refueling machine also takes eight hours to fuel the vehicle, which means consumers most likely would have to fill it overnight. "The car is clearly not your primary car. It's your commuter car, your secondary car," Lindstrom said.
FuelMaker said the machine is registered as a household appliance and is no more dangerous than any other appliances that use natural gas.
Toyota Motor Co. spokeswoman Cindy Knight said Honda's offer likely is a first. Toyota offers no similar vehicle or home refueling option, Knight said.
The Civic GX has a 1.7-liter, 4-cylinder engine and starts at $21,670. Buyers can take advantage of a $2,000 federal tax deduction for alternative fuel vehicles.
http://www.fuelmaker.com
Honda said Thursday it has been offering its Honda Civic GX sedan to fleet operators for seven years, and estimates there are 7,000 of the natural gas-powered vehicles on the road. But this will be the first time consumers can buy the vehicle in a dealership and lease a refueling machine to go along with it.
"Driving a natural gas vehicle has never been so convenient," said Gunnar Lindstrom, Honda's manager of alternative fuel vehicle sales.
Honda said it expects to sell about 300 of the vehicles this year through 17 dealerships in northern and southern California. FuelMaker Corp., which makes the refueling machine, also will make the machine available to consumers in Arizona, Salt Lake City, Dallas and Milwaukee, although the Civic GX won't be on sale in those cities.
Honda said the Civic GX can go up to 220 miles without refueling and costs about 3.75 cents per mile to fuel. A conventional, gasoline-powered Civic can go approximately 350 miles without refueling and costs 8.8 cents per mile to fuel.
The Civic GX has some of the lowest emissions of any vehicle on the road, Honda said. On average, a car with a natural gas-powered internal-combustion engine emits 87 percent less nitrogen oxide, 70 percent less carbon monoxide and 25 less carbon dioxide than a car with an engine that uses gasoline, according to Honda.
The refueling machine uses a home's existing natural gas lines and can be installed for $500 to $1,500. Dealers will lease it for between $34 and $79 a month, Honda said. The lower leasing price factors in possible clean-vehicle incentives from state and local governments, Honda said.
There are a few downsides. If the vehicle runs out of natural gas on the road, it would have to be towed to the owners' home or one of the 100 California gas stations that now have natural gas refueling tanks. The refueling machine also takes eight hours to fuel the vehicle, which means consumers most likely would have to fill it overnight. "The car is clearly not your primary car. It's your commuter car, your secondary car," Lindstrom said.
FuelMaker said the machine is registered as a household appliance and is no more dangerous than any other appliances that use natural gas.
Toyota Motor Co. spokeswoman Cindy Knight said Honda's offer likely is a first. Toyota offers no similar vehicle or home refueling option, Knight said.
The Civic GX has a 1.7-liter, 4-cylinder engine and starts at $21,670. Buyers can take advantage of a $2,000 federal tax deduction for alternative fuel vehicles.
http://www.fuelmaker.com
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From: Hudson, NH, 03051
Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX (zacdaddy77)
Most lp/ng vehicles have performance equivalent to stock gasoline engines.Its mostly done for smog/emissions reasons.If every car was converted tomorrow there wouldn't be enough gas to go around.Some people have made lp/ng dragsters before and can made to go pretty fast.Lp/ng is very hard on exhaust seats but is very easy on oil.I've seen it used on stationary generator big block chevy engines.Oil stays like new a lot longer than a gasoline or diesel engine.
Glenn
Glenn
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From: Charlotte, NC
Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX (JGTCNSX)
How is this news? The state government in Raleigh has had some of these for years. They look, feel and drive just like a regular civic. Under the hood looks the same. The only difference is when you pop the gas door, there's a natural gas fitting. The refilling station at home is nice, but the car is old news.
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Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX (drdisco69)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> The refilling station at home is nice, but the car is old news.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Honda started selling the natural gas Civic to the public yesterday.
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-...48667
Honda started selling the natural gas Civic to the public yesterday.
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-...48667
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Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX (JGTCNSX)
Is the natural-gas Civic GX the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle on Earth?
The EPA certainly thinks so. And in March of 2005, California motorists will have the opportunity to buy this environmentally conscious, natural-gas vehicle from select Honda dealers. (The GX will eventually be available nationwide.) The GX has everything you'd expect from a Civic, like a roomy cabin and responsive acceleration.
But GX owners can also experience the convenience of filling up their tanks at home with a compact home refueling station called Phill. And California GX owners are even eligible to access carpool lanes. Although the Civic GX is a revolutionary vehicle, it's actually been on the streets and enjoyed by fleet operators since 1998. Maybe it's the right vehicle for you.
http://automobiles.honda.com/m...hcp=1
The EPA certainly thinks so. And in March of 2005, California motorists will have the opportunity to buy this environmentally conscious, natural-gas vehicle from select Honda dealers. (The GX will eventually be available nationwide.) The GX has everything you'd expect from a Civic, like a roomy cabin and responsive acceleration.
But GX owners can also experience the convenience of filling up their tanks at home with a compact home refueling station called Phill. And California GX owners are even eligible to access carpool lanes. Although the Civic GX is a revolutionary vehicle, it's actually been on the streets and enjoyed by fleet operators since 1998. Maybe it's the right vehicle for you.
http://automobiles.honda.com/m...hcp=1
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Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX (JGTCNSX)
Refueling at home:
Filling up your tank just might be the most convenient aspect of owning a Civic GX. That's because you can refuel at home while you're asleep.
Meet Phill, the first home refueling appliance available to owners of natural gas vehicles. Phill is a compact unit (30" x 14" x 14") made by FuelMaker that's easily installed to your home gas line, inside or outside your garage. This is the very same gas line you use to fuel appliances such as your gas stove. Phill is as safe and quiet as a clothes dryer. It's equipped with several built-in features that monitor and detect minute leaks and automatically shut down the system if necessary.
Refueling on the road:
When you're out and about, please consider the following. A full tank of gas supplies the GX with a driving range of approximately 200 miles. In most cases, this will allow you to travel to your destination and back home to refuel with Phill. But sometimes you'll need to fill up on the road.
At times like these, you can refuel in mere minutes at the numerous alternative fuel stations throughout California. Check out the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition Web site for a complete list of locations. Please note: always be sure to call the station first to make sure that they're open and accept common forms of payment. (Some stations require you to open a business account to operate the pump.)
http://www.cngvc.org
Filling up your tank just might be the most convenient aspect of owning a Civic GX. That's because you can refuel at home while you're asleep.
Meet Phill, the first home refueling appliance available to owners of natural gas vehicles. Phill is a compact unit (30" x 14" x 14") made by FuelMaker that's easily installed to your home gas line, inside or outside your garage. This is the very same gas line you use to fuel appliances such as your gas stove. Phill is as safe and quiet as a clothes dryer. It's equipped with several built-in features that monitor and detect minute leaks and automatically shut down the system if necessary.
Refueling on the road:
When you're out and about, please consider the following. A full tank of gas supplies the GX with a driving range of approximately 200 miles. In most cases, this will allow you to travel to your destination and back home to refuel with Phill. But sometimes you'll need to fill up on the road.
At times like these, you can refuel in mere minutes at the numerous alternative fuel stations throughout California. Check out the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition Web site for a complete list of locations. Please note: always be sure to call the station first to make sure that they're open and accept common forms of payment. (Some stations require you to open a business account to operate the pump.)
http://www.cngvc.org
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From: Charlotte, NC
Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX (JGTCNSX)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JGTCNSX »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Honda started selling the natural gas Civic to the public yesterday.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Ah, to the public. Gotcha.
I wonder how well it would take a turbo.... or nitrous....
A lot of the procedures in the manual state for you to work on the car outside. The idea is that if it turns into a crater, you don't take out the entire dealership with you.
Ah, to the public. Gotcha.
I wonder how well it would take a turbo.... or nitrous....
A lot of the procedures in the manual state for you to work on the car outside. The idea is that if it turns into a crater, you don't take out the entire dealership with you.
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Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX
Civic GX FAQ
Q: The Civic GX is a dedicated natural-gas vehicle. What does that mean?
A: A dedicated natural-gas vehicle, like the GX, runs exclusively on clean-burning natural gas. Many other natural-gas vehicles use a "bi-fuel" system that doesn't offer the same economic and emission benefits that a dedicated system offers.
Q: How clean are the emissions of the GX's engine?
A: The Civic GX's engine produces almost no emissions. The amount of hydrocarbon emissions is near zero. In fact, the GX runs on the cleanest-burning internal-combustion engine in the world.
Q: Since the GX runs on natural gas, and not gasoline, does its performance suffer?
A: No. The GX's performance is indistinguishable from that of a gasoline-powered Civic. In fact, we're proud of the GX's considerable horsepower. Low emissions always seemed to conjure up images of vehicles lacking power, but the GX proves that needn't be the case. Once behind the wheel, it's impossible to discern between the performance of the GX and the performance of the gasoline-powered LX.
Q: How far can the GX go on a full tank of natural gas?
A: On the highway, the GX can go approximately 250 miles before it runs out of fuel. But once you take traffic and driving factors into consideration, the "real-world" range is about 200 miles. Your actual driving range may vary, depending on driving habits, fill pressure and "fast fill" effects.
Q: Can I accessorize my Civic GX?
A: Yes, you can accessorize a GX just like any other Honda.
Q: Do Civic GX owners qualify for the Federal Clean-Fuel Vehicle Tax Deduction?
A: Yes, the Civic GX is eligible for many Federal, State and local incentives.
http://automobiles.honda.com/m...ic+GX
Q: Is the GX right for me?
A: There are several factors to consider if you're thinking about buying a Civic GX. The GX has a unique fueling infrastructure, so it's important to plan appropriately to ensure that refueling stations are available when you travel. To purchase a Phill refueling unit for your home, you'll need a natural gas line or the ability to have one installed. That being said, there are numerous incentives to driving a GX, such as cheaper gas, access to car pool lanes, a positive feeling of protecting the environment and the convenience of refueling at home.
Q: How safe is a natural gas vehicle?
A: Natural gas vehicles are every bit as safe as today's conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.
Q: Is the Civic GX allowed to access HOV lanes?
A: GX drivers are eligible to access HOV lanes in California even when they are traveling alone. Different states, however, may have different laws. Check your local laws to learn more.
Q: Where can I service my Civic GX?
A: Repairs related to the GX's engine or fuel system must be serviced at an authorized Civic GX Honda dealer, which you can locate here. All other repairs can be handled at any authorized Honda dealer.
Q: What is Phill?
A: Phill is a natural gas vehicle refueling appliance designed for use with the Civic GX in residential environments.
Q: Is Phill Noisy?
A: Phill makes as little noise as your typical outdoor air conditioner. In fact, it is rated at <40 dBA.
Q: How much electricity does Phill use?
A: At 800 watts per hour, Phill uses less electricity than most small appliances.
Q: How much does Phill cost?
A: Contact your local Honda dealer for more information on cost and financing options. The price of the Phill unit may be subsidized by state and local government incentives.
Q: Can Phill be installed outdoors?
A: Yes, as long as it can be securely fastened to studs, brick or concrete in order to hold at least 100 pounds and meets all applicable building codes and regulations.
Q: How much will it cost to install Phill?
A: The installation cost of Phill will depend on how close the existing gas and electrical supplies are to the desired installation location. The greater the distance, the more a typical installation will cost.
Q: Where/How do I service the Phill? Who do I call if I have problems with Phill?
A: Phill is not designed to need any service nor maintenance. If there are any problems with Phill please call Phill Technical Support at 1-866-697-4455.
Q: Do I need to purchase a new Civic GX in order to purchase a Phill unit?
A: No, current Civic GX owners as well as owners of other CNG vehicles can purchase the Phill home refueling unit.
Q: Can I lease the Phill unit?
A: Yes, Phill will be available for lease through 17 authorized Honda Civic GX California dealers in San Diego, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Sacramento and San Francisco.
Q: The Civic GX is a dedicated natural-gas vehicle. What does that mean?
A: A dedicated natural-gas vehicle, like the GX, runs exclusively on clean-burning natural gas. Many other natural-gas vehicles use a "bi-fuel" system that doesn't offer the same economic and emission benefits that a dedicated system offers.
Q: How clean are the emissions of the GX's engine?
A: The Civic GX's engine produces almost no emissions. The amount of hydrocarbon emissions is near zero. In fact, the GX runs on the cleanest-burning internal-combustion engine in the world.
Q: Since the GX runs on natural gas, and not gasoline, does its performance suffer?
A: No. The GX's performance is indistinguishable from that of a gasoline-powered Civic. In fact, we're proud of the GX's considerable horsepower. Low emissions always seemed to conjure up images of vehicles lacking power, but the GX proves that needn't be the case. Once behind the wheel, it's impossible to discern between the performance of the GX and the performance of the gasoline-powered LX.
Q: How far can the GX go on a full tank of natural gas?
A: On the highway, the GX can go approximately 250 miles before it runs out of fuel. But once you take traffic and driving factors into consideration, the "real-world" range is about 200 miles. Your actual driving range may vary, depending on driving habits, fill pressure and "fast fill" effects.
Q: Can I accessorize my Civic GX?
A: Yes, you can accessorize a GX just like any other Honda.
Q: Do Civic GX owners qualify for the Federal Clean-Fuel Vehicle Tax Deduction?
A: Yes, the Civic GX is eligible for many Federal, State and local incentives.
http://automobiles.honda.com/m...ic+GX
Q: Is the GX right for me?
A: There are several factors to consider if you're thinking about buying a Civic GX. The GX has a unique fueling infrastructure, so it's important to plan appropriately to ensure that refueling stations are available when you travel. To purchase a Phill refueling unit for your home, you'll need a natural gas line or the ability to have one installed. That being said, there are numerous incentives to driving a GX, such as cheaper gas, access to car pool lanes, a positive feeling of protecting the environment and the convenience of refueling at home.
Q: How safe is a natural gas vehicle?
A: Natural gas vehicles are every bit as safe as today's conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.
Q: Is the Civic GX allowed to access HOV lanes?
A: GX drivers are eligible to access HOV lanes in California even when they are traveling alone. Different states, however, may have different laws. Check your local laws to learn more.
Q: Where can I service my Civic GX?
A: Repairs related to the GX's engine or fuel system must be serviced at an authorized Civic GX Honda dealer, which you can locate here. All other repairs can be handled at any authorized Honda dealer.
Q: What is Phill?
A: Phill is a natural gas vehicle refueling appliance designed for use with the Civic GX in residential environments.
Q: Is Phill Noisy?
A: Phill makes as little noise as your typical outdoor air conditioner. In fact, it is rated at <40 dBA.
Q: How much electricity does Phill use?
A: At 800 watts per hour, Phill uses less electricity than most small appliances.
Q: How much does Phill cost?
A: Contact your local Honda dealer for more information on cost and financing options. The price of the Phill unit may be subsidized by state and local government incentives.
Q: Can Phill be installed outdoors?
A: Yes, as long as it can be securely fastened to studs, brick or concrete in order to hold at least 100 pounds and meets all applicable building codes and regulations.
Q: How much will it cost to install Phill?
A: The installation cost of Phill will depend on how close the existing gas and electrical supplies are to the desired installation location. The greater the distance, the more a typical installation will cost.
Q: Where/How do I service the Phill? Who do I call if I have problems with Phill?
A: Phill is not designed to need any service nor maintenance. If there are any problems with Phill please call Phill Technical Support at 1-866-697-4455.
Q: Do I need to purchase a new Civic GX in order to purchase a Phill unit?
A: No, current Civic GX owners as well as owners of other CNG vehicles can purchase the Phill home refueling unit.
Q: Can I lease the Phill unit?
A: Yes, Phill will be available for lease through 17 authorized Honda Civic GX California dealers in San Diego, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Sacramento and San Francisco.
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Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX
The Civic GX is the only sedan to be certified as a Super-Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) in all 50 states. And the strict California Air Resources Board named the GX an Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV).
The GX comes with a highly advanced CVT (continuously variable transmission) which offers the convenience of an automatic plus the performance of a manual gearbox. Grade Logic Control combined with the CVT helps you avoid gear hunting on uphills and descents, and downshifts for added engine braking. Its "effort-sensitive" power-steering system provides remarkable handling.
The compressed-natural-gas (CNG) fuel tank is almost as impressive as its engine. The tank is lightweight, strong and built for safety. And for extra peace of mind, there is an in-tank solenoid valve that will cut off the flow of gas if the system is compromised, or when the engine is turned off.
The GX comes with a highly advanced CVT (continuously variable transmission) which offers the convenience of an automatic plus the performance of a manual gearbox. Grade Logic Control combined with the CVT helps you avoid gear hunting on uphills and descents, and downshifts for added engine braking. Its "effort-sensitive" power-steering system provides remarkable handling.
The compressed-natural-gas (CNG) fuel tank is almost as impressive as its engine. The tank is lightweight, strong and built for safety. And for extra peace of mind, there is an in-tank solenoid valve that will cut off the flow of gas if the system is compromised, or when the engine is turned off.
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Re: Natural Gas-Powered Honda Civic GX (JGTCNSX)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by drdisco69 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A lot of the procedures in the manual state for you to work on the car outside. The idea is that if it turns into a crater, you don't take out the entire dealership with you.</TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JGTCNSX »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Civic GX FAQ
...
Q: How safe is a natural gas vehicle?
A: Natural gas vehicles are every bit as safe as today's conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.</TD></TR></TABLE>Is everyone this worried about their natural gas range or grille? About 50 years ago lots of people refused to get natural gas furnaces because they were afraid of blowing up their homes. And some actually DID blow up.
I've also seen a repair shop that was turned into a smoking hole in the ground when they weren't careful about working on a car's gas tank. Stupidity is dangerous with gasoline too.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JGTCNSX »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Q: How much electricity does Phill use?
A: At 800 watts per hour, Phill uses less electricity than most small appliances.</TD></TR></TABLE>Somebody needs to learn how to use units of power & energy.
Power consumption of 800 watts is one thing, there's hairdryers that use more than that. But what does it mean to use 800 watts per hour? So maybe after 30 hours the unit's using 24 kW? That exceeds the electrical load capacity of many homes. OK, so this is a sales pitch. But it really bugs me when a sales pitch has technical data that's obviously not being used correctly. In my mind, it blows the credibility of all the other information in the sales pitch.
...
Q: How safe is a natural gas vehicle?
A: Natural gas vehicles are every bit as safe as today's conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.</TD></TR></TABLE>Is everyone this worried about their natural gas range or grille? About 50 years ago lots of people refused to get natural gas furnaces because they were afraid of blowing up their homes. And some actually DID blow up.
I've also seen a repair shop that was turned into a smoking hole in the ground when they weren't careful about working on a car's gas tank. Stupidity is dangerous with gasoline too.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JGTCNSX »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Q: How much electricity does Phill use?
A: At 800 watts per hour, Phill uses less electricity than most small appliances.</TD></TR></TABLE>Somebody needs to learn how to use units of power & energy.
Power consumption of 800 watts is one thing, there's hairdryers that use more than that. But what does it mean to use 800 watts per hour? So maybe after 30 hours the unit's using 24 kW? That exceeds the electrical load capacity of many homes. OK, so this is a sales pitch. But it really bugs me when a sales pitch has technical data that's obviously not being used correctly. In my mind, it blows the credibility of all the other information in the sales pitch.
