Things to Know before Opting for a CNG Kit
As fuel prices keep rising continuously, car owners are looking for cheaper alternatives to keep their car running. There are three options - Opting for a hybrid, electric, or CNG. If you want to opt for hybrid or electric, you will have to buy a new car. You cannot convert your existing gasoline car into a hybrid or electric one. The cost of these vehicles is also expensive. Here’s where CNG comes to the rescue. It is tailor-made for mass adoption. Yes, CNG is more affordable compared to conventional fuel and can be fitted in your existing car. But, you will have to keep the following things in mind before opting for a CNG kit.
Before buying a CNG kit, make sure your car is compatible with it. Only petrol cars can be converted to CNG. Even with petrol cars, some older generation cars may not be compatible. Check the list of CNG approved cars published by the registering authority of your state or union territory. The list may differ from region to region. You also need to visit your RTO and get the fuel type changed from petrol to CNG in the Registration Certificate (RC). You can legally drive the vehicle only after completing this process.
Depending on your car’s make and model, buying a genuine CNG kit will cost you upwards of Rs.60,000/-. Given the low running cost, you can recover this investment in a few years. However, on the maintenance side, a CNG car requires more maintenance as you will have to do a throttle body cleaning, spark plug cleaning and replacement, CNG reducer filter cartridge replacement, CNG low-pressure filter cartridge replacement, etc.
You can buy a CNG kit either through an authorized dealer or through the aftermarket. Even though you may find the aftermarket less expensive, there are chances that you might end up buying a fake CNG kit that looks like an OEM kit. Moreover, many aftermarket CNG kits don’t come with a warranty and we have heard enough stories on how these kits pose a safety threat such as gas leakage due to poor build quality. So it is recommended to go for a factory-fitted kit through an authorized dealer.
Unlike petrol and diesel fuel outlets, the presence of CNG outlets is very less. Therefore it is recommended to check the availability of CNG refueling outlets in your locality. Due to limited outlets, you may find a long queue for refueling. If you are traveling to rural areas, finding a CNG outlet can be a tricky one.
CNG delivers better fuel efficiency at the expense of the car’s performance. The engine won’t deliver the same punch as it did with petrol. Petrol acts as a lubricant for both the valve and the cylinder. This is not the case with CNG. As a result, the throttle response will be slow and if you are someone who loves driving then you need to think twice before switching to CNG.
When you are changing the fuel type from gasoline to CNG you must inform your insurer. In the event of a claim, if the insurer finds there is a mismatch in the details mentioned in the Registration Certificate (RC) vs the actual vehicle, your claim is most likely to be rejected and you will have to bear the entire repair cost.
For added safety, make sure to protect your car with comprehensive car insurance from Cholamandalam car insurance.
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