CNG Conversion, Is It Worth It?

Is it worth it to convert your car or light truck to run on CNG or compressed natural gas? It depends on a few different factors. First, is there a CNG filling station near you and does it keep convenient hours? There are CNG refueling stations located in most major cities but some areas have more than others. For a list see this site: http://www.cngprices.com/
You will find a Google map with a list of stations.
Next, is your vehicle able to be converted? The EPA has very strict rules when it comes to converting your vehicle. Only a few are approved. These include the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, Ford Taurus and a few more. A list of approved vehicles can be found at the site above.
Next, can you justify the cost? The cost of converting a Ford F-150 can run around $9000. This is a lot of money but if you keep the truck for at least 100,000 miles and burn mostly CNG you will get your money back plus feel good about the fact that your vehicle causes less greenhouse gas and near zero particulate emissions. CNG is the choice of major cities to run buses because it causes no urban smog.
For many the environmental reasons justify the switch to compressed natural gas. Another is patriotism. Unlike most vehicles except all electric cars, your CNG conversion vehicle will be using almost 100% American made fuel.
The United States has an abundance of natural gas locked up in shale formations like the Marcellus Shale. There is enough clean fuel for our cars for a hundred years or more without ever having to import any more oil. For the price of the Wall Street bailout and stimulus package every car in the United States could have been converted to run on domestic natural gas with money left over. Imagine what an economic stimulus this would be for consumers, mechanics and business. This technology is road ready right now. Why our leaders are not falling in behind it is a mystery to many.
If you support using American fuel for American vehicles do some reading up on the Pickens Plan. Oil man T. Boone Pickens believes that we can use wind energy and natural gas to provide all of our domestic energy needs.
I believe that he is right on track.