The Civic GX has the cleanest internal combustion engine when compared to other vehicles, one of the factors that contributes is the usage of natural gas. According to the government mileage tests, This Civic achieved its fuel economy around 36 mpg.
Natural gas is produced from the ground. The natural gas can be found within liquid petroleum, but it can also be found in deposits by itself. When the natural gas is refined, the gas consists mainly of methane. Although the cost would be higher, but it's possible to manufacture methane gas out of decaying organic materials or coal.
This natural gas needs to be compressed to about 3600 pounds per square inch in order to be stored in an amount that is enough to provide meaninful mileage coverage . 3600 pounds per square inch is about 120 times the pressure of your car tires. The gas is usually referred as CNG that stands for compressed natural gas.
For Americans, the natural gas has at least three significant advantages :
1. Natural gas is considered as the cleanest-burning fossil fuel. If you compare the Honda Civic Gx with other equivalent gasoline-fueled vehicle, this Civic burns 90 percent cleaner than all of them.
2. NOx pollutants (oxides of nitrogen) that are produced by natural gas are 75 percent fewer than those that are produced by engine that runs on gasoline fuel.
3. North America is an abundant reservoir of natural gas. So when you drive cars that burn natural gas, you may contribute in reducing the country's dependency on foreign fuel.
When you drive the GX Civic you will not notice any differences from a regular one. The only difference that you'll realize is when the car needs to be refueled.
The Civic LX Sedan is the base of Civic GX. The main difference between these two cars is the fuel storage. If the LX uses a gas tank, the GX provides cylinders that are used to store compressed natural gas.
In some areas, the Civic GX drivers are given an exemption from carpool lane rules. However you need to at least put a decal, saying something like "Natural Gas Vehicle" to inform the authorities that you're driving a natural gas car, thus you're not violating the law.
There are some other exterior differences like a revised grille and a new front bumper cover.
Inside the car, the GX is provided with new cloth seat materials and patters. You will also get a new three-spoke steering wheel which is standard on Civic GX.
The GX is powered with 1.8 liter four cylinder engine that can generate 113 horsepower. Although The GX has higher 12.5:1 compression ratio, the power that it generates is far less than the gasoline-fueled 1.8 liter Civic LX does.
This Civic GX is only available with a five-speed automatic transmission. According to goverment's highway driving tests, Civic GX has the equivalent fuel economy as a gasoline-fueled car that runs on 36 miles per gallon.
Another problem is there are only few public refueling stations for vehicles like Civic GX. Therefore, this car isn't suitable for road trips. And of course it would not make sense to expect the roadside assitance service to bring you a load of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas).
According to Honda, the Civic GX is the only car that successfully gain certification by U.S Environmental Protection Agency. This vehicle is certified because it met both Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) zero evaporative emission standards and Federal Tier 2 Bin 2.
If we compare the natural gas with other alternative fuels, we will find out that actually the infrastructure that is required to build natural gas refueling stations already exists. The main tools that the fueling stations need to add is simply the cylinders to store the CNG. If you need further information about the location of natural gas refueling stations, you may go to http://www.afdc.energy.gov .
Natural gas is delivered to more than half of American households using pipelines. So, it's not difficult to refuel a natural-gas-powered cars, simply because you can do it yourself at your own home.
All you need is an additional Phill, a home-refueling system that's manufactured by FuelMaker Corp. However you'll need an overnight to refill the tank fully.
In the United States, Honda Civic GX is the only natural-gas-fueled passenger car that's available to retail consumers. The vehicle is assembled in Ohio. You may also gain tax advantage by purchasing Civic GX, because you can earn a $4,000 tax credit. If you install a home refueling system, you may gain another $1,000 federal tax credit.
Some cities offer free metered parking for GX drivers and some states allow the usage of high-occupant vehicle lane to Civic GX drivers.
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