Most automakers offer CNG vehicles in other markets around the world. While about 10 million vehicles worldwide run on natural gas, fewer than 200,000 are in the United States, and about 1,000 fuel stations sell CNG.
In early 2012, Obama wanted to broaden a government tax credit that was created to support electric vehicles. He now wants to include other types of advanced vehicles, including those that run on fossil fuels like compressed natural gas.
Only Honda Motor Co. currently sells a car that runs on CNG — a version of the Honda Civic — but several automakers sell medium and heavy trucks and vans that run on the fuel.
In October, General Motors Co. announced it plans to produce a small number of 2015 Chevrolet Impalas that run on compressed natural gas
GM sells a bi-fuel version of its heavy trucks and CNG-powered Chevrolet Express vans. Last year, GM sold 1,400 CNG vehicles and sold more than 3,500 last year.
GM CEO Mary Barra praised the focus on CNG and sees “tremendous opportunity” in vehicles that run on the fuel. “That’s definitely an option that we’re working on,” she said on Capitol Hill Wednesday. “We’re very excited to get those products out into the marketplace and want to see what the reaction is.”
