CNG gas motorhome

Natural gas motorhome? This can be a very good solution, although there are still few stations in Poland where you can refuel with CNG. However, there is also a way.

Cars powered by CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) gas are not very popular in Poland so far. However, there are brands that try to promote this way of powering the car, and these include, among others Fiat with the Ducato model fitted with the correct installation.

And yet Ducato is also a basic base for motorhomes!

Ecological star

In Germany, the combination of Ducato + motorhome + CNG has been successfully used for several years. One of the first CNG-powered camping vehicles is La Strada Avanti Ecostar .

The car was equipped with a 3-liter engine with 136 HP. Its maximum torque of 350 Nm is available from 1,500 rpm. The most interesting thing here, however, is the power supply. It is not based (as in the case of LPG installation) on the interchangeable use of gas and petrol, but was designed in such a way that the car could use natural gas in all conditions. Already at the moment of starting, the engine is powered by gas .

Five gas cylinders were placed in the floor. They take up a lot of space, but also lower the center of gravity. The cylinders have a total volume of 220 liters, which means that they can hold 37.4 kg of gas. Filling the cylinder completely requires refueling about 50 m3 of gas. This amount should be enough for about 400 km. Expense? As I write this article, one meter costs PLN 3.28. This means that PLN 164 is enough to cover 400 km .

The petrol tank is also found in La Strada, but it has a capacity of only 15 liters. It was conceived as an emergency tank, thanks to which we will be able to drive 100 km in search of a CNG station.

Garage gas distributor

The availability of this type of station in Poland is difficult. However, there is an interesting alternative.

While we do not place a gasoline dispenser in the garage, it is possible to install a natural gas compressor in it. This device is not cheap - it costs about 30 thousand. PLN . However, it allows you to get gas from your home network, which will cost about PLN 2.50 per meter.

If there are several cars in the family, all of which run on natural gas, such an investment may pay off.

Benefits of CNG

It remains to ask yourself "what for?" In addition to the lower costs of such gas, will the caravanning lover also benefit from other benefits? It turns out that it is.

First of all, a CNG-powered car is quieter , so a holiday trip will be less burdensome for everyone on board. Second thing - CNG gas is odorless . So you will not smell gas or petrol in the car. At the same time, manufacturers ensure that CNG installations are perfectly sealed and secured in such a way that gas supply is safer than all other methods of supply.

For the motorhome owner, however, another advantage will be the most important. Well, it is possible to use natural gas to power various devices . So you do not have to refuel the car separately, and additionally replace gas cylinders, e.g. for powering the kitchen, gas stove or water heating. It is the possibility of using CNG as the main power source in the entire motorhome that convinces most for its use in caravanning.

Does the CNG installation have any disadvantages? Certainly, these include the fact that the cylinders take up a lot of space and reduce the ground clearance of the vehicle . Perhaps the conversion of an ordinary motorhome into a CNG-powered vehicle would also be a problem.

However, if you are considering buying a new vehicle and building it at your own discretion, it is worth considering the option of a natural gas motorhome.