A Camry Hybrid Fueled by CNG

As you very likely know, we’re big believers in the concept of hybrid vehicles. We build gas-electric hybrids in several styles; one of them, our Prius, is the most fuel-efficient vehicle in America.

But we also believe that there’s more than one way to solve a problem. One problem we’d like to solve involves the unpredictable nature of gas prices.

Gas prices are relatively low now, but they were incredibly high last summer, and could well revert to those high levels. But the price of compressed natural gas (CNG) remains fairly stable, and there’s a strong, reliable domestic supply of CNG. It just happens to be one of many alternative fuel applications being explored in Toyota’s broad sustainable mobility research and development strategy.

That’s why we built a special concept CNG Camry Hybrid that we’ll display at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday.

To convert a stock Camry Hybrid to a CNG vehicle, the gasoline fuel system was replaced with a CNG system that includes a pair of CNG tanks installed in the spare-tire well of the vehicle’s trunk. Because it now lacks a spare tire, the CNG Camry Hybrid rolls on runflat tires.

And roll it does. With the proposed CNG equivalent of 8 gallons of gasoline in its tanks, the estimated range of the CNG Camry Hybrid is more than 250 miles. Link that efficiency to the price of CNG and you can see why we’re interested in this – as this is written, CNG is about a dime cheaper, per gallon, than the national average price of regular-grade 87-octane gasoline.

But price and efficiency are only the tip of the iceberg of CNG benefits. Natural gas also produces lower particulate emissions and lower levels of nitrous oxide (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and non-methane organic gasses (NMOG) when compared with gasoline. And because CNG is so clean, potential wear and tear on an engine fueled by it is greatly reduced.

Those are the considerable upsides to CNG. There also are downsides. An important one is that there are fewer than 1,000 CNG refueling stations in the U.S., with fewer than half of them open to the public. Also, natural gas is less dense than gasoline. So a CNG engine will have approximately 10% less power than an equivalent gasoline engine. Also, a CNG vehicle’s fuel tank must be cylindrical, so it is more difficult to package than a gasoline tank, which can be shaped to conform to any available space.

We want to underscore the fact that the CNG Camry Hybrid is just a concept vehicle. This concept vehicle is a statement that we intend to include CNG in our diverse portfolio of future alternative-fuel R&D. Our purpose in building it as a concept is to demonstrate the efficiency and adaptability of Hybrid Synergy Drive, and to demonstrate that we continue to work with a variety of powertrain concepts to ensure that we have products that meet the current and future needs of our customers on a global basis. We think you’ll find the CNG Camry Hybrid interesting. So if you’re visiting the LA show, feel free to drop by and take a look.

- Jana Hartline, Corporate Communications

Comments

[Les]

Its nice to see Toyota step out of their comfort zone and try something new. I was curious when Toyota would make a CNG car, only after Honda of course. Years after, but that's besides the point.

If Toyota put one on the lot today and allowed me to fill it up at home with natural gas that is already running into my home, I would buy one today. I don't care if it only has a 250 range, because my daily commute is less than 4 miles, and if someone needed a car that got a better range Toyota already has that covered.

It would be nice to see Toyota actually use an alternative fuel in one of their cars instead of just making hybrids.

[LM]

As the owner of a 2000 Camry CNG, which almost no one has heard about (including many Toyota dealers) PLEASE bring it back in the form of this concept or even without the hybrid system and/or a Corolla CNG.

The 2000 Camry CNG has a 13 GGE tank taking up half the trunk but still has 2 times the trunk capacity of even the new Civic GX. My 2000 also has a highway range of 300 miles which is important for trips to AZ and Northern CA.

Gasoline prices are low now but they won't stay this way forever and it is a very good feeling knowing that every day when I am driving my 80 mile round trip commute that not a drop of foreign oil was used.

I will be one of the first in line if this goes into production for consumers and not just fleet customers.

[GoAutoCraze]

Toyota has tried to sell CNG vehicles previously. In 1999 the company marketed a CNG-powered four-cylinder Camry to fleet customers in California. However, in an era of relatively cheap gasoline, customers were not attracted to a vehicle that required special refueling techniques and a limited refueling infrastructure and the program was discontinued a year later.

[Richard Poor]

PHEV is far superior for cars that can use the existing gasoline & diesel infrastructure. Save the CNG for trucks and locomotives. Even T Boone Pickens says CNG for large trucks, not cars. Fans of hybrids? Toyota trashed the RAV4-EV. What's next...tailfins?

[MM]

How about a CNG Tundra? Stable fuel prices really help when pumping 26+ gallons. In the 70's LPG conversions were common place, I could only find one conversion product for CNG and it is out of South America!? What's up with this? Look around all the public agancies are driving CNG vehicles new and old, somewhere there is a conversion shop that is doing a great job if hiding from the public.

[Martin Dintzis]

Things have changed since 1999. There are more people who want the option to run on gasoline or natural gas. This would enable us to gradually switch to CNG as natural gas fueling stations become available. It would require one liquid and one compressed gas fuel tank, resulting in less trunk space and possibly no spare tire. However, it could be done. If such a car came out, I would grab it.