Will Honda's natural-gas-powered Civic GX blow other "green" cars off the road? See the first reports from our year-long in-depth test
Posted 11.02.2006 at 3:00 am
6 Comments
Honda Civic GX Long-Term Test
Now and for the next year, PopSci is testing the new compressed-natural-gas-powered Honda Civic GX. This is the first time Honda has offered a natural-gas vehicle to the public-the lack of open-access natural-gas fueling stations has made daily use by anyone other than employees of city governments, which operate their own stations, impossible.
But the recent release of the Phill home-refueling station, manufactured by Toronto-based FuelMaker, changes things. Now people who have the station installed at their house can refuel the GX overnight, since the system taps into natural-gas lines. There are many potential benefits to using natural gas: It's the cleanest-burning fuel available, with virtually zero emissions; it's a domestic fuel source; and, when using the home station, fuel costs drop to approximately $1.30 per gallon.
FuelMaker, which developed the home-refueling system with support from Honda, provided a Phill unit for our year-long test and installed it at automotive editor Eric Adams's residence in New Jersey. Honda provided the Civic GX. Although the retail cost of Phill is roughly $4,000, the final cost to consumers can be significantly lower, because (depending on where you live) state and federal tax credits can offset or even completely cover the initial purchase price. Similar tax credits can offset the incremental cost of the natural-gas technology in the Civic, bringing the $24,000 purchase price-again, depending on your state-down to below that of the entry-level Civic's $16,000 sticker.
The benefits of natural gas are huge, but how practical is this vehicle? Over the course of the next year, our tests will answer that. Is the home-refueling system easy to use? How convenient is it to refuel during extended road trips? Staff editors will have access to the GX for road trips, vacations and just running around town, and it will be used as a commuter vehicle from New Jersey to Manhattan-a roughly 50-mile round trip.
Read on to see what our editors have to say about the vehicle on the following pages.
single pageWant to keep track of the latest concept cars, automotive innovations, and more? Subscribe to Popular Science today, for less than $1 per issue!
6 Comments
To comment, please Login.
Popular Tags
Cars on Popular Science
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 2013: The Future Of Flight
The incredible innovations, like drone swarms and perpetual flight, bringing aviation into the world of tomorrow. Plus: today's greatest sci-fi writers predict the future, the science behind the summer's biggest blockbusters, a Doctor Who-themed DIY 'bot, the organs you can do without, and much more.
.jpg)
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
Cars
- Electronic Updatable License Plates Could Flash "STOLEN" Or "TEEN DRIVER"
- A Motorcycle Helmet With A Heads-Up Display
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- Starting This Week, Audis Will Find Parking Spaces Automatically
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
Most Emailed
Cars
- A Motorcycle Helmet With A Heads-Up Display
- Electronic Updatable License Plates Could Flash "STOLEN" Or "TEEN DRIVER"
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- Starting This Week, Audis Will Find Parking Spaces Automatically
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
Most Viewed
Cars
- A Motorcycle Helmet With A Heads-Up Display
- Electronic Updatable License Plates Could Flash "STOLEN" Or "TEEN DRIVER"
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- Starting This Week, Audis Will Find Parking Spaces Automatically
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email
Contributing Writers:
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
.JPG)
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
I think I'm gonna buy one. It's 'green-ness' is good, but what's better is its economy. NG is so much cheaper, is delivered to my house, is not subject to highway taxes, and because it burns so much more cleanly (in the mechanical sense) the engine will last much longer with less maintenance. The only real 'issues' I would have would be in regard to range and cargo space, but both of these could be easily resolved with the construction of a lightweight trailer with a "spare" tank (high volume CNG cylinder) and space for luggage. Such a trailer should be able to give you a range of 1000 miles, and the space of a small pick-up bed with a GVW increase of less than 500lbs. In addition, having the trailers 'spare' tank available would give you a rapid refuel capability by simply connecting connecting it to your car and equalizing pressure.
Hi,
I also found this article on the same subject - interesting stuff! It doesn't really run on water, but extracts HHO gas from water, and uses that. Apparently it's cheap and legal too!
Water Powered Car
Gary.
its nice :)
العاب ،
مسجات ،
العاب سيارات ،
العاب طبخ ،
So what's not to like? Only the scarcity of places to fuel up. Honda has sold compressed-natural-gas (CNG) Civics to fleet operators for eightyears-because they have their own CNG pumps, they don't have to search for the rare public ones. But thanks to Sohbet a new home fueling station, anyone can fill up in their driveway.
How about a users group or car club. Civic GX's natural-gas care owners could register in a data base and offer refueling services at their home or business for long-distance travelers. This would fill the gap between early adopters and plentiful commercial refueling stations.
Low and behold anyone who shake the Prius of its top perch will stay there for a long time. I have always been a fan of Honda and expect that if one car can make a move it will be The Honda, but gee it will have to be good.
www.flogas.co.uk