CNG Car Lot

Tuesday, May 9th 2006, 10:20 am

By: News On 6

The News on 6 told you last week how it only costs about a dollar a gallon to run a car on compressed natural gas or CNG. And we told you about the Tulsa company that sells a natural gas fueling station for your home. But several of you asked us where you could buy a CNG car?

News on 6 business reporter Steve Berg says the sign at Morris Auto Sales says drive for a $1.20 a gallon, no joke.

Ask Russ Casey how. "How do you drive for $1.20 a gallon, well you buy one of these natural gas-powered vehicles." Russ Casey got into the used CNG car business about 8 years ago in the little town of Morris east of Okmulgee.

The first year, he sold four. Last year, he says he sold more than a hundred. "It was really slow for about 5 years, but this last year it's really caught on with the price difference in the fuel."

US automakers don't make these type of vehicles anymore, but Casey scours the nation, looking at auctions for old fleet vehicles, government vehicles, whatever, but it's not easy. "The problem is there's so very, very little inventory to be had, because it's a very small market."

It's not for everybody, but it makes more sense in northeast Oklahoma than most places. For one thing, Oklahoma Natural Gas has fueling stations that are open to the public. "We have the 2nd largest number of refueling stations and the cheapest fuel in the nation."

Even if you do find yourself in a place with no natural gas, no worries. Most of the cars are bi-fuel, with compressed natural gas on one side and regular gasoline on the other. "When you run out, it automatically switches over, switches the gauge and everything." He's not a car salesman for nothing.

Still not convinced? He says the state has an incentive where they'll refund 10-percent of the car's cost. It might be the road less traveled, but he says you might like the CNG route.

To find the location of a CNG station, CLICK HERE. And CLICK HERE for Morris Auto Sales' website.