Utah Drivers Fill Up With Cheap Natural Gas

State's drivers corner the market in natural gas cars

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 30, 2008 7:43 AM CDT

(Newser) – Utah drivers are lining up to fill their cars and trucks with natural gas, at the equivalent of just 87 cents a gallon, the New York Times reports. State regulations keeping natural gas cheap have fueled a surge of interest in natural gas vehicles among drivers in the state, who are having their vehicles converted or are buying used cars that run on compressed gas.

One Honda salesman in Salt Lake City has sold a quarter of the 800 Civic GX's—the only available car powered by natural gas made by a major automaker—the company has turned out this year, and has a waiting list of 330. Other states are looking to Utah as a model and trying to legislate around the Catch-22 situation where drivers won't buy natural gas cars because there are so few places to fill up, and stations decline to offer natural gas because so few drivers need it.

[Images (4)]

[Quotes (2)]

The natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX is shown at a Los Angeles motor show. (Getty Images)

The Honda Civic GX 4DR, a natural gas vehicle, is presented at an auto show. (Getty Images)

James Israelsen puts the pump handle back after filling his vehicle at a compressed natural gas station Thursday, April 24, 2008, in Murray, Utah. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

Lee Mercer watches another vehicle pull up as he fills his truck's tanks at a compressed natural gas station Thursday, April 24, 2008, in Murray, Utah. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

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Utah shows that the technology is here and the fuel works and the fuel is better than foreign oil. - Oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens

It’s crazy to be in Utah
and have access to 85-cent-a-gallon fuel and not take advantage of it. - A Utahan driver, speaking before a 2-cent price hike

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Utah Drivers Fill Up With Cheap Natural Gas