BOSSIER CITY, LA (KSLA) -
Gas prices continue to rise nationwide, pushing more people to consider other alternatives to the standard gasoline-powered vehicles.
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline on Tuesday was $3.53.
A lower-cost alternative has made its way to the Ark-La-Tex. It's a new Honda Civic that runs solely on compressed natural gas (CNG). It's running below $2.00 per GGE, or gasoline gallon equivalent.
"It approaches about nine gallons equivalent of normal fuel, and it takes about $15 to fill it up," says Mark Johnson with Holmes Honda.
"Natural gas will continue to stay at a sustainable price, while gasoline will continue to fluctuate," adds Katie McCullin with Chesapeake Energy.
This is the first car manufactured to run solely on CNG. Mark Johnson says it drives like a regular car.
Under the hood, this car looks similar to a gasoline-powered car. Its trunk is significantly smaller than any other car. And it costs a little more than a standard Civic.
"There's about a $3,000 difference between this and a gas-powered Civic equipped the same," Johnson says.
However, the state of Louisiana offers a 50-percent tax credit for that up-charge. Between that tax credit, and the smaller amount spent on gas, Mark Johnson says the savings start immediately when you buy this car.
If you don't want to buy a new car just to save on gas, you can covert what you have. But that comes with a hefty price tag.
"For us, Southern Automotive, to convert a vehicle for you per se, the cost of the kit and the labor involved together would probably be somewhere in the $6,500 to $7,000 range," says Sammie Goldman.
He tells us the availability of cng and the lower cost make it enticing for customers.
"When we sit down and start talking about the cost involved, that's a big deterrent."
But he predicts it will eventually become a more viable option.
"I truly feel natural gas is going to be good for the public in the long run, he says. "I don't believe it's going away."
"If you're going to get a new car, and a lot of your driving is in the city where natural gas fueling stations like this one are abundant in our area, there's a reason to give it some strong consideration," Johnson adds.
There will soon be another "first" in the Ark-La-Tex. Natural gas producer Encana plans to open the first public liquefied natural gas (lng) fueling station in Louisiana.
It will open later this month in Frierson. The lng station will be at the Relay Truck Stop on highway 175. That's at the intersection of highway 175 and Interstate 49 in Desoto Parish.
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