Development of a CNGDI-Electric Hybrid Vehicle

Natural gas is an alternative to gasoline as a fuel for automotive engines. The combustion of natural gas produces mainly water and CO2 and significantly less CO and UHC emissions. In many cases, CNG vehicles generate fewer exhaust and greenhouse gas emissions than their gasoline or diesel-powered counterparts. While it is clean burning and in plentiful supply with a reasonably even global distribution, its drawback is that it is less energy dense than petrol and so has required either a large tank or a reduced driving range Using it in conjunction with electric drive as in an electric hybrid vehicle, this disadvantage would be significantly reduced. In this paper we present results of the first stage of our research that is conversion of a gasoline vehicle to run on direct injected compressed natural gas. We also present a proposed scheme for a CNGDI-electric hybrid vehicle.