In case you’re a fan of fresh air and funky fill-ups, then right this moment’s Good Value or No Cube Civic NGV is likely to be your cup of compressed pure fuel. Let’s see if this uncommon, actually gas-powered commuter automobile has a price ticket that doesn’t make us wish to inform the vendor to go “blow it out yer’ ass.”
I feel it was a missed alternative in final yr’s Barbi film to have Ken drive a Hummer EV slightly than some type of Chrysler Ok Automotive. Think about the 1982 Chrysler LeBaron “Ok Automotive” convertible we checked out yesterday. Painted pink, it might exude the identical kind of “Kenergy” the filmmakers have been in search of. Alas, it was not meant to be. Nor, apparently, is a fast sale for our Ok automobile at its $5,000 value. Your collective 68 p.c No Cube vote ensured that.
There’s loads of gloom and doom being unfold within the media nowadays over the electrical car market seemingly sputtering attributable to excessive prices, shopper reluctance, and whether or not or not you may cost an electrical automobile within the rain. Spoiler alert: you may. That is all regardless that, in lots of markets, EVs proceed to take an ever-increasing share of gross sales, and a sturdy group of followers and fixers has arisen to assist them stay moderately viable for years to come back.
In fact, EVs aren’t for everybody. And for many who don’t like the concept of sitting on a large assortment of laptop computer batteries however nonetheless wish to scale back their impression on the atmosphere, there are options like right this moment’s 2011 Honda Civic NGV sedan that runs on compressed pure fuel slightly than liquid gasoline.
A minimum of there as soon as have been. Honda stopped producing the CNG Civic in 2015 because the fueling infrastructure didn’t develop sufficiently to make the mannequin a nationwide vendor. A map maintained by the U.S. Division of Vitality exhibits that even right this moment, solely 758 CNG fueling places exist within the U.S. and Canada. In distinction, there are over 4,400 E85 (ethanol) stations and over 78,000 stage 2 and above electrical charging stations.
Like many electrical automobiles, the CNG Civic suffered from a extra restricted vary than its gasoline-powered equal. The three,600 psi gasoline tank takes up a superb little bit of trunk area and presents round 200 miles between fill-ups in return. One answer was house fueling, facilitated by a tool referred to as “Phill” that must be plumbed into a house fuel line and will refuel the automobile in a single day. Honda disapproved of this feature formally as a result of potential for contamination in house fuel to wreak havoc on the automobile’s gasoline system.
That mentioned, for an around-town commuter automobile, this CNG Civic ought to show economical (pure fuel stays cheaper than common fuel in most areas) and maybe extra environmentally pleasant than a gasoline-powered automobile.
In accordance with the advert, this “beloved” Civic prices solely ten {dollars} to refill and will get wonderful mileage. It’s finished 140,000 miles and is claimed by the vendor to be essentially the most dependable automobile they’ve ever owned. At a look, all the things save for the aftermarket LED headlamp models seems to be to be inventory, proper right down to the NGV decals on the again doorways. The grey paint over darkish grey manufacturing facility wheels and heavy window tint lend the automobile a glance that could possibly be construed as both sinister or dour, relying on the temper. The equally grey inside seems to be first rate and contains Honda’s goofy split-level instrument show and Z-handle emergency brake.
As for the drivetrain, there’s a 1.8-liter 4 making 110 underneath the hood and that’s mated to a soul-sapping CVT. Newish tires, brake pads, and a latest oil change imply this Civic is able to rock. It comes with a clear title and a $9,999 asking value.
What’s your tackle this fart-swilling Civic and that just about ten-grand price ticket? Does that make for a transparent deal? Or does that value fail to reside as much as the vendor’s promise of this being a cost-effective automobile?
You determine!
San Diego, California, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
H/T to Don R. for the hookup!
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