CNG

In the Czech Republic, natural gas has been used in transportation since 1981, when the first vehicle was converted to use this alternative fuel. By the beginning of 1990s, the Czech Republic was one of the worldwide leaders in the gasification of transport. Unfortunately, the promising development slowed down, and years of stagnation followed. The Czech Republic has fallen behind other European countries where gasification of vehicles began much later.

At present, approximately 250 vehicles use natural gas as a fuel; about 150 of them are passenger cars and delivery vans (gas distribution companies) and 100 are buses, both city (Havirov, Frydek Mistek, Prostejov) and interurban models (ČSAD Bus Ústí nad Labem).

The biggest operators of vehicles powered by natural gas are:

• Prazska plynarenska, a. s. (more than 70 CNG vehicles),
• CSAD Bus Usti nad Labem (52 CNG buses),
• Havirov Transport Authority (42 CNG buses).

There are 14 CNG fuel stations; eight are public (two in Prague, one in Pilsen, Liberec, Ceske Budejovice, Horni Sucha, Frydek Mistek, and Prostejov) and seven private (especially stations in the complexes of CSAD Bus Usti nad Labem).

Sales of natural gas as a fuel for vehicles in the Czech Republic total about two to three million cubic meters.

Map of the CNG fuel stations in the Czech Republic