As the global automotive industry shifts toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, gas vehicles have emerged as a key player in reducing carbon emissions and lessening reliance on traditional petroleum fuels. However, terms like NGV, LPG, CNG, and LNG are often thrown around without clear explanation, leaving many consumers and industry observers confused about what each one means and how they differ. To help navigate this evolving landscape, we break down these four essential terms, exploring their definitions, characteristics, and real-world applications in the gas vehicle sector.
Let’s start with NGV, which stands for Natural Gas Vehicle. Unlike the other terms that refer to specific types of fuels, NGV is a broad category describing any vehicle designed to run on natural gas (as opposed to gasoline or diesel). NGVs can be factory-built to use natural gas exclusively or modified from conventional vehicles to accommodate natural gas systems. They are widely adopted in public transportation, logistics, and even personal use due to their lower emissions and cost-effectiveness. For example, in Peru, as highlighted in recent public transport initiatives, NGV buses have become a staple in cities like Trujillo, Lima, and Callao, where they help cut carbon footprints while reducing operational costs for transport companies. NGVs typically rely on either CNG or LNG as their fuel source—two terms that are often linked to NGV but represent distinct fuel forms.
Next is LPG, short for Liquefied Petroleum Gas. Also known as propane or butane (or a mixture of the two), LPG is a byproduct of natural gas processing and petroleum refining. It is stored in a liquid state under moderate pressure, making it easy to transport and store in vehicles via specialized tanks. LPG vehicles have been popular for decades, especially in regions where LPG infrastructure is well-developed, such as parts of Europe, Asia, and Latin America. One of the key advantages of LPG is its versatility: many vehicles are designed to run on both LPG and gasoline (called “dual-fuel” vehicles), giving drivers the flexibility to switch between fuels based on availability and cost. While LPG emits fewer pollutants than gasoline or diesel, it typically has a lower energy density, meaning vehicles may have slightly reduced range compared to those running on other gas fuels.
Then there’s CNG, which stands for Compressed Natural Gas. As the name suggests, CNG is natural gas (primarily methane) that has been compressed to around 1% of its original volume, allowing it to be stored in high-pressure tanks on vehicles. CNG is a clean-burning fuel, producing up to 30% less carbon dioxide (CO₂) than gasoline and significantly lower levels of nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) and particulate matter. It is commonly used in public transport fleets—like the NGV buses in Peru that refuel with CNG—and light-duty vehicles such as taxis and private cars. For instance, in Peru’s Trujillo, a CNG-powered bus with a 150-cubic-meter tank can operate for a day and a half on a single refueling costing around 300 soles, making it an economical choice for transport companies. However, CNG’s high-pressure storage requires specialized tanks, and refueling infrastructure (like the 14 stations Promigas plans to build in northern Peru by 2024) is essential for widespread adoption.
Finally, LNG refers to Liquefied Natural Gas. Unlike CNG, which is compressed, LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to an extremely low temperature (-162°C/-260°F), turning it into a liquid. This process reduces the volume of natural gas by about 600 times, making LNG ideal for long-distance transport and storage—especially for heavy-duty vehicles like trucks, ships, and even some trains that require large fuel reserves. LNG vehicles offer similar emissions benefits to CNG, with the added advantage of a longer range due to the higher energy density of liquid fuel. However, LNG’s low-temperature storage requires insulated tanks to prevent evaporation, and the infrastructure for producing, storing, and refueling LNG is more complex and costly than that for CNG or LPG. This makes LNG more common in industrial and long-haul applications rather than everyday passenger vehicles.
Understanding the differences between NGV, LPG, CNG, and LNG is crucial for anyone looking to engage with the gas vehicle industry—whether as a consumer, business owner, or policy-maker. Each term represents a unique piece of the puzzle in the transition to cleaner transportation, with applications tailored to different needs: NGVs as the broader vehicle category, LPG for flexible dual-fuel use, CNG for urban public transport and short trips, and LNG for long-haul and heavy-duty operations. As countries like Peru continue to invest in gas vehicle infrastructure and incentives, clarity on these terms will help drive informed decisions that balance environmental sustainability, economic efficiency, and practicality.
Gas vehicles: what do NGV, LPG, CNG and LNG mean?
This breakdown not only answers that question but also highlights how these technologies are shaping the future of transportation—one clean fuel option at a time.
