CNG

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is methane in the gaseous state and liquid natural gas (LNG) is methane in the liquid state. CNG would be used for cars and LNG for trucks. The gas would be stored in high pressure safe tanks, perhaps produced by 3M but the liquid must be kept cold using a small onboard compressor. With LNG a semi could go about 450 miles before a refill which is about half the distance it can go with diesel, however drivers are not allowed to drive more than 14 hours so the current limit is more like 700 miles between stops. The use of CNG for trucks requires too many stops to refill. The move toward CNG trucks is well underway even without government assistants. The economic rewards are so obvious that private companies like Cummins Diesel are building the engines and others are building the filling stations. Companies like Freightliner are currently manufacturing trucks of various sizes that use both CNG and LNG. Many large companies like Proctor and Gamble are suggesting that in the future they will only do business with carriers who use CNG. Walmart is also pushing for this. Here is a couple of recent news reports and there are many more. This is coming with no help and considerable interference from the government. Economics not government drives the free market system. Over the past year, Clean Energy Fuels opted to make the first move in this game, building 70 fueling stations in 33 states Reuters reported that one of China's largest private companies, ENN Group, has a plan to invest millions in building natural gas filling stations in the United States, aiming to install 50 truck stops this year alone.