Since here in Europe we are raving about EVs like crazy, there's not much room for discussion, at least civilized one, for alternative fuels. Yet finding something else to fill up our current gas guzzlers would be much faster solution to drop emissions, since most of us already own an ICE powered vehichle and it's easier to find used ones in different price brackets.
In some European countries, gas has been a viable alternative for years already. While central Europe favors liquid petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG) also has some following. A couple of car manufacturers have even offered CNG powered versions of their popular models, and distribution network has been growing steadily year after year. Why hasn't gas become more popular then?
Well, for starters compressed natural gas isn't necessarily awfully clean or ethical. I'm still puzzled how smart, educated and rational people as Germans fell for that trap they're currently in. Here in my country we have know-how to produce compressed bio gas out of stuff that falls off cow's rear ends, so that's the answer to emission and ethical problem. The biggest CBG provider also has a high annual production rate, according to their website, so theoretically they could provide that stuff for a lot of cars currently roaming our country.
But what if I don't want a Skoda Octavia? Or Opel Combo? And if I was shopping for Mercedes, I doubt the B-class would reach my top ten either. I could buy something nice, like a V8 Jaguar perhaps, have it converted to CNG/CBG and still enjoy my life with clean conscience. Downside here is that the cost of such job is high, easily about 4.000eur total, which means I'd have to drive a lot with gas to get that extra cost covered. Also, that huge tank consumes a great deal of that precious boot capacity. Bad news regarding the hardware is also the fact that Volkswagen, the strongest supporter of CNG system out of all car manufacturers, announced they're also giving up CNG, in favor of EV development. Thanks again, EU. On the bright side, a CNG conversion might still turn out viable alternative when you'd need to run your practical classic car in the future.
Biggest drawback of gas in my country is still the distribution network, though. We're a nation who pack up the entire family branch and half of our possessions, including laundry washing machines I hear, in our simply clever estate cars and head out to our birthplaces on every vacation, holiday or even longer weekend. Problem is, half of the population in this country live in a single sh*thole on south coast. Half of that is originally from either a dot about 450km up northeast, or a dot 650km up north. But the northmost CNG filling station is only 200km far, so it would be a stretch to reach either of these destinations with gas only. All the CNG gas are, of course, equipped with a conventional petrol tank, to cover maybe extra 200km, but that's not environmental, or cost-effective either.
Infrastructure is a matter of political decisions, of course, but right now we're only focusing on fast charging points for EVs. Not to mention, cows are very very bad nowadays as well, people keep telling we'd need to get rid of them all. So that would mean there's no longer manure to produce the bio gas in the future either.