Natural gas for driving immediate solution for better quality of air

Monday, March 26, 2018

DATS 24, Colruyt Group's filling stations network  points out that driving on natural gas, CNG, immediately has a positive impact. Their recent study, executed by engineers of Colruyt Group, confirms the big advantages for the environment of natural gas as a fuel instead of diesel and petrol cars. The large number of orders of CNG cars at the recent Motor show is also a favourable evolution in that sense. Especially because it offers an answer to all of the consumer's wishes in terms of greening mobility with his own vehicle. 

The motorist wants to go greener and at the same time maintain the comfort he is used to.

If you are looking for a new car, you have a difficult task ahead of you. Still buy a diesel or petrol car? Or take the step towards an eco-friendly car? The desire for greening is increasingly present. At the same time, people are afraid to be robbed of comfort and user-friendliness. Moreover, not many people are prepared to pay more for a clean car. 

"And that's the strength of CNG", says Raf Flebus, Business Unit Manager at DATS 24. "The air quality is deteriorating at a fast pace in Belgium, especially in Flanders. Think of the unhealthy situation at schools and the Kiss and Ride lanes. More and more people are questioning this. Completely justified, the consumer also wants to continue to enjoy the comfort and freedom of movement he is used to. Both can go together. Now is the perfect time to choose an eco-friendly car. Especially CNG cars offer a few major advantages: they are cheaper and can be used everywhere and contribute substantially to a healthier environment", says Raf Flebus.

Recent studies confirm environmental benefits of CNG

CNG is the cleanest fossil fuel by far. Engineers of Colruyt Group's R&D department studied the impact driving a private car on CNG, diesel and petrol has on the environment. The study compares the well-to-wheel emission of greenhouse gasses (including CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine dust (PM) in Euro6 vehicles. Well-to-wheel means from the exploitation of the fuel over the production process, distribution of this fuel to its incineration by driving the car. 

Arne Braems, project engineer at Colruyt Group, explains:

"The figures in our study  show that both in terms of greenhouse gasses such as CO2 and in terms of nitrogen oxides and fine dust, you see a lower impact on the environment for driving on natural gas compared to driving on petrol and diesel euro6.  With -16% to -30% emission of greenhouse gasses, it's safe to say this is a significant progress. If you consider the more than 70% lower emission of nitrogen oxides and fine dust, you can only conclude that natural gas for driving is a huge improvement for the air quality."

Emission WTW
​(well-to-wheel)

CNG compared to diesel EURO6

CNG compared to petrol EURO6

Greenhouse gasses (incl. CO₂)

-16%

-30%

Nitrogen oxides (NO_x)

 -76%

-74%

Fine dust (PM)

-72%

-77%

Already as many CNG cars sold by now as in the entire year 2017

In March, car brands traditionally review the state of affairs after the annual motor show at the beginning of the year. With Audi, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen, D'Ieteren combines the brands offering the most models of natural gas vehicles. The orders they received this year are very promising for CNG. 

Jean-Marc Ponteville, PR manager at D'Ieteren, confirms the steep rise of these vehicles: "

It's correct that eco-friendly vehicles received special attention at the recent motor show. In addition to electric and hybrid cars, this year's attention was mainly focused on natural gas cars. With our brands alone, we are already matching the 2.489 CNG cars registered in 2017. The customer is especially convinced by the healthy combination of the attractive purchase price and environmental benefits. If you know that a CNG costs a little more than a petrol version, it's almost logical that you choose a CNG car with a CNG station nearby. Moreover, in Flanders you don't have to pay the once-only Registration Tax (BIV) or annual road tax and in the Walloon provinces and Brussels these cars offer you fiscal advantages."

In 1 in every 4 municipalities in Flanders you can fill up with CNG.

In addition to DATS 24 with 55 CNG stations, all the other brands combined (for example through CNG operators PitPoint and Enora) offer another 40 CNG stations, bringing the total number to 92 CNG stations on 02/2018. Most of these stations are located in Flanders, where you are already able to fill up with CNG in 1 in every 4 municipalities. 

Raf Flebus states that many more people can choose to drive on natural gas today:

"Customer enquiries show that most motorists usually fill up in 1 or 2 stations: one near their home and one near their workplace or along the home/work/store route. Today, this means that over half of the diesel or petrol drivers can easily switch to a CNG car that is better for the environment and better for your finances. In term of air quality, this already takes us a long way."

To the factsheets.

About DATS 24 

DATS 24 stands for smart refuelling. About 70 % of the stations are located next to Colruyt Group stores. Customers can shop and refuel at the same location, allowing them to save time and kilometres. The ISO14001 certificate is a valuable recognition of the efforts Colruyt Group's fuel supplier makes for the environment every day. For example, customers can pump up their tyres for free because a proper tyre pressure is safer and more economical. 

DATS 24 is a pioneer in Belgium in the field of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) for vehicles. Vehicles running on natural gas produce much less fine dust than vehicles running on diesel. Also, their CO2 emissions are a lot lower. Moreover, natural gas as a fuel is about 50 % cheaper than petrol or diesel. DATS 24 already equipped 55 of its 122 stations with natural gas (out of a total of 92 CNG stations in Belgium).  With charging stations at 58 Colruyt Group store locations, DATS 24 also facilitates the further expansion of electric driving in Belgium. 

Finally, DATS 24 actively supports organisations focusing on road safety, such as the Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, the Association Wallonne de Sécurité Routière (The Big Traffic Quiz, Business Mobility Awards) and non-profit organisation XIU. The latter is a volunteer organisation working for more road safety among young people and making more than 100,000 youngsters aware of this every year.

More information:
​
​ Maarten Van Houdenhove, PR manager DATS 24
​ Tel.: 02 360 10 40 or +32 (0) 0497 51 21 48
​ E-mail: [email protected]