Machines on the methane will allow you to travel on dedicated lanes

19 April 2018

The government is discussing the prospects of CNG vehicles

After the meeting in support of NGVs Vladimir Putin on 18 April, the Minister of energy Alexander Novak said that the cars running on gas fuel in the future may be allowed to move around the lanes for public transport, as well as to enter the center of Moscow. According to "Kommersant" the President gave instructions to consider this issue.

Propane-butane or methane?

You must understand that in this case we are talking about cars that drive on liquefied natural gas, i.e. methane. Meanwhile, the vast majority of gas transportation in Russia uses liquefied petroleum gases, i.e. propane-butane.

Why does the government have relied on unpopular methane? First, this gas is considered a cleaner and more environmentally friendly. Second, methane is less explosive. In addition to that propane-butane is more expensive.

What are indulgences promise the cars on methane?

While we are talking about what to put cars, CNG vehicles, to dedicated lanes. This offer looks even more logical when you consider that one of the main consumers of methane should be light commercial vehicles, including taxis.

The problem is that municipal buses and so are the lanes. Besides these bands was initially created in order to increase road capacity and provide public transportation advantage. The advisability of such proposals is set the head of the public Council under the Ministry of transport Mikhail Blinkin: "the question Arises, what do we want to carry on these bands — iron or passengers. Be allowed to ride hybrids, electric vehicles, but for what? Relationship between the type of fuel and access to leased should not".

Today, the total length of dedicated lanes in Moscow reaches up to 287 kilometers. They are present in 43 major highways and streets, while in 2018 it is planned to increase their number. For departure on a strip for conventional machines an administrative fine of 3 000 rubles. Compliance with the rules watched by the cameras fotovideofiksatsii.

Cars on the methane until little

According to the estimates of the Minister of industry and trade Denis Manturov, in 2014 the number of cars on CNG in the country has increased from 68 to 212 thousand. However, even with impressive growth, while they represent only 0.5% of the entire Park.

The rising popularity of such cars is compounded by a number of factors. First, manufacturers do not pay to this segment due attention. Among new cars, you can buy only CNG Lada Vesta. Yes, some European companies also produce similar CNG version, but they are not shipped to Russia.

Secondly, the translation of a conventional gasoline car to CNG will cost more than propane-butane. Finally, one major constraint is the poorly developed network of filling stations. Now the country accounts for only 340. Needless to say, if in some regions there are no suitable dressings!

what about electric cars?

a "In my opinion, in the end, today a more environmentally friendly fuel is a gas", — said Vladimir Putin at the International forum on energy efficiency and energy development "the Russian energy week", which was held in the fall of 2017.

Yes, the President compared the methane cars with the electric car. At first glance it may seem that this is pure advertising and trying to support the industry, because electric cars do not produce harmful emissions, and cars with internal combustion engines will in any case pollute the environment.

But do the President's words far from the truth. The problem of electric vehicles at the current stage of development lies in the fact that their charge is used "dirty" electricity. Even in the developed Western countries in the energy sector, high share of CHP. Thus, the power for a brand new Tesla Model S, Chevrolet Volt or other electric vehicle of the modern partly fuelled by coal.

For example, the Brussels free University in 2017, found that the electric car in Poland will ultimately "cost" the ecology approximately the same as a gasoline car. And that's not counting the fact that the production of traction batteries and dispose of them in an additional strike in nature.

As of 2016 thermal power plants for fossil fuels in Russia have developed 628 of 1064,1 TVT⋅h, i.e. 59 %. In other words, at the moment when charging electric cars on average 59 % of the energy will be taken from the same depths from which pumped oil, which is then converted to gasoline.

It turns out that the conditional Lada Vesta CNG in Russia (and in many other countries too) in sustainability can compete with 100 percent electric vehicle.

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