Natural Gas Truck vs. Diesel | What’s Right For You?
The discussion among truck owners and fleet managers continues: are natural gas trucks or diesel trucks the better choice for you? Years ago, you didn’t have to consider this question. But with advancements in natural gas engine technology and increasing availability of natural gas fuels, you do have a choice. However, it’s not simply an either-or decision; there are actually several factors that come into play when deciding which direction to go.
Money
Natural gas costs a lot less than diesel. You can’t compare the two gallon-for-gallon, but depending on specific fuel prices, diesel costs an additional $1.60 “per gallon” or so to produce a comparable amount of energy as natural gas. That can add up fast if you do a lot of driving.
Efficiency
Diesel takes you farther per fill-up. Natural gas is less efficient and you’ll need larger tanks whether you use liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG). Despite greater tank volume, you’ll have to stop to refill more often – and that could be a problem if you traverse parts of the country where stations that accommodate natural gas are infrequent. The larger tanks also weigh more and take up more space on your truck’s frame. Something will have to go.
LNG vs. CNG
Costs less and is easier to find, but it is heavier and greater in volume than liquefied natural gas. So with LNG you don’t lose as much space to tanks, but you’ll pay more for the fuel. Still, it’s less than diesel. One more thing to know about LNG: you have to maintain it in cryogenic form.
Truck costs
If you go with natural gas, you’ll pay more up front for your truck. Potentially a lot more, since industry experts estimate natural gas truck prices to be a full third higher than their diesel counterparts. That would add about $50,000 to a natural gas rig, compared to a similar diesel-powered truck priced at $150,000. Will the lower operating costs make up for that in a reasonable amount of time?
Sharpen your pencil
When it comes to natural gas vs diesel, the only way to predict which one will be right for you is to run the numbers. It’s like determining the cost of ownership for any of your fleet’s machines: you have to consider up-front cost plus projected operating costs for the period of time you expect to run the truck. The more you drive, the more you’ll save per-mile, but experts suggest it would take 3-4 years to start seeing bottom-line savings if you average 60,000 miles per year.
There is also the issue of natural gas availability, which, as already noted, depends largely on where you operate. You can’t afford to get stuck or have to drive out of your way to find fuel. There is also the intangible factor of environmental friendliness – natural gas not only runs quieter than diesel, it runs cleaner, too.
Ultimately, a natural gas truck is the best choice, if you can afford the higher initial cost of the truck, if fuel accessibility is not a problem and if you drive enough miles to see a timely return on your investment.