What to keep in mind before you install a CNG kit in your car

Prices of petrol and diesel tend to fluctuate every once in a while, thank to the dynamic of demand and supply and high volatility in raw materials’ prices. This is one of the key reasons that several petrol car owners are on the lookout for alternative fuel options. The most common choice in India as of now for petrol and diesel car owners is to get a compressed natural gas (CNG) kit installed in their car and get it updated as a fuel option in the registration and car insurance policy.

Things to know before adding a CNG kit to car

• Before you visit an authorised CNG kit installation facility, do your research and ask yourself the following questions:
• Do you run your car enough kilometres to justify the cost of installing a CNG kit? CNG is justified in high running cases in which you can break even in one or two years.
• How close is the nearest CNG pump from your home or office? If you do not have one close enough, you might have to drive extra for refills.
• Which kind of CNG kit you want for your car? Venturi and Sequential kits are the two approved types of CNG kits. Sequential kits have higher purchase and installation cost than Venturi, but they are said to perform much better in long run.

Let us discuss now key benefits of adding CNG kit to your car:

• Makes your car pollute less: CNG, as a fuel, is less polluting than both, petrol and diesel, and it burns more efficiently as well.  Getting CNG fitted in your car reduces your carbon footprint.
• Makes your car cost less to run: CNG cars offer high fuel efficiency and low running costs. This makes your wallet a lot happier as your car will cost much less to fill up and run.
• Saves you from adulterated fuels: Unlike petrol or diesel which can be easily adulterated, it is almost always impossible to adulterate CNG. Any kind of adulterated fuel is a potential risk to your car. Similarly, the very nature of CNG point of sale is such that traditional short charging scams which are very easy in petrol and diesel points of sale do not work on CNG sales, so you always get what you pay for.
• Saves India’s precious foreign exchange: Since India imports most of the fossil fuels, cheaper CNG costs much less to import and saves us a lot of forex.

CNG kit and your car insurance

Upon installation of a CNG kit in your car, you will have to notify the RTO and car insurer about the new fuel modification in your car. The insurance company may charge you an extra premium but if you do not update your RC and insurance, your car insurance claims will be rejected. Simply call up the insurance customer care number to get the CNG cover added to your policy.

When you get a CNG kit installed in your car, the same has also to be updated in your car insurance. So, the next time you buy car insurance online, make sure that you tick the appropriate check box in the policy application form. Otherwise your policy may not be considered valid by authorities and insurers.