Natural gas for vehicles is growing in France

4.513 new vehicles running on NGV were registered in France in 2020, against 3.668 in 2019, an increase of 23%, according to a barometer published by the AFGNV, which brings together gas suppliers, vehicle manufacturers or operators of gasoline. transport.

44 new stations have started distributing gas, bringing the network to 136 stations by the end of 2020. Around 2021 new stations are expected to open in XNUMX.

CNG, methane extracted by drilling, slightly reduces CO2 emissions compared to diesel, but significantly reduces NOx emissions, according to Ademe (Ecological Transition Agency).

Benefiting from the Crit'Air 1 sticker, quieter than a conventional engine, it provides access to city centers. But its prices can turn out to be higher and more variable than those of diesel, even if it is less taxed.

To significantly reduce its emissions, the sector is promoting the development of BioNGV, produced locally from waste (agricultural, industrial or household). However, it only represented 17,5% of French consumption in 2020.

"NGV is a transitional energy towards BioNGV", underlined Caroline Maleplate, gas mobility delegate at GRDF, during a press conference. "There are a lot of new investments in BioGNV, particularly in methanization production units", underlined Guillaume Larroque, new president of AFGNV and president of Total Marketing France.

Heavy goods vehicles represented a third of registrations in 2020, ahead of buses and coaches, light commercial vehicles and road vehicles such as household refuse collection vehicles.

CNG is thus accelerating in heavy vehicle fleets, even if not all manufacturers offer it in their catalog: its market share has doubled in one year to represent 4,2% at the end of 2020.

Jacky Perrenot, the leading mass distribution transporter in France, has gradually switched 10% of the 5.000 trucks in its fleet to gas.

On the bus side, cities like Toulon (Var), Dax (Landes) or Saumur (Maine-et-Loire) are equipped with gas vehicles in 2020. In the Paris region, RATP plans to have 2025 buses in 2.200. biogas and 1.500 electric, in addition to its 1.000 hybrids.