Introduction
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cars run on pressurized natural gas as a greener fuel in place of petrol and diesel. CNG car adoption is gathering pace globally on the back of falling greenhouse gas emissions, lessening oil import reliance, and curbing city air pollution. The Indian CNG car market is growing well, with sales set to rise to 1.1 million units in FY25 from 940,000 units in FY24.

Growth Strategies

Infrastructure Growth
A strong refuelling infrastructure is crucial to the success of CNG vehicles. India's number of CNG stations is expected to grow from about 6,000 to more than 17,700 by 2030. This growth strengthens the ease of refuelling and encourages the expanding number of CNG vehicles.
Government Policies and Incentives
Governments across the globe are adopting policies that encourage the utilization of CNG vehicles. In India, plans like the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme offer economic incentives for adopting alternative fuel vehicles, among which the CNG vehicle is one.
Technological Advancements
Technology innovation in CNG vehicle technology is enhancing performance and efficiency. Advances in dual-fuel engine technologies, new fuel injection technologies, and light-weight materials are enhancing CNG vehicles to make them more desirable to customers and fleet operators.

Future Trends

Integration with Electric Vehicles (EVs)
The future of transport lies with a hybrid strategy, with EVs supported by CNG vehicles. The complementary nature of these two technologies together can help supply the best of an optimal solution by merging the environmentally friendly sides of EVs with the superior range and convenient refueling offered by CNG vehicles.
CNG Engine Technological Advancements
Current R&D is aimed at enhancing CNG engine efficiency and curbing emissions. Technologies like turbocharging, electronic control units, and advanced combustion methods will make CNG vehicles more fuel-efficient.
Emerging Market Expansion
Countries with large natural gas reserves and increasing awareness of air pollution are quickly switching to CNG vehicles. Nigeria, for example, is encouraging the conversion of petrol vehicles to CNG as a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative.

Key Segment
Passenger Vehicles
Passenger cars account for a greater share of the CNG vehicle market. Maruti Suzuki dominates the segment with a 66% market share, followed by Tata Motors with a 22.51% market share. Exceeding 30 models of CNG automobiles caters to the variety of customer interests.

Commercial Vehicles
Commercial vehicles such as buses, vans, and goods carriers are starting to use CNG because of its cost advantage along with decreased emissions. Commercial vehicles in India already have extensive use at a CNG penetration rate of 10-11%.

Opportunities
Job Creation
The provision of CNG infrastructure and production facilities can generate a lot of jobs in the maintenance, construction, and operations departments.
Environmental Benefits
The use of CNG vehicles can decrease the level of greenhouse gas emission as well as air pollutants to a considerable extent, leading to better public health and environmental purity.
Economic Benefits
CNG is usually cheaper than conventional fuels, providing cost savings for businesses and consumers. Moreover, the use of natural gas generated domestically can lower reliance on imported oil, enhancing energy security.

Key Players with Recent Developments
AB Volvo:
Volvo FE CNG: This is an urban-specific model truck with reduced emissions and noise. It has spark plug technology and automatic transmission. It is powered by compressed natural gas and biogas, with biogas providing up to 100% tank-to-wheel CO₂ emissions reduction. It has up to 400 km for light delivery and 250 km for refuse collection range.
Volvo FH and FM Gas-Powered Trucks: They are applied for local and long-distance transportation. They are designed to be fueled on LNG or CNG, which can be sourced from either biogas or natural gas. Powered by bio-LNG significantly decreases the CO₂ emissions. These trucks are introduced as fuel-efficient trucks compared to diesel for heavy application.
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A
Historically, Fiat has had a monopoly over the European natural gas car and commercial vehicle market, with over 720,000 CNG-powered cars and commercial vehicles sold up to the year 2016.
Fiat Professional (light commercial vehicle division) produced vehicles such as the Fiat Ducato, Scudo, and Doblò Cargo with CNG in the past.
Ford Motor Company
CNG Prep Package for F-Series Trucks: Ford previously (about 2013) sold a CNG/LPG engine prep package on the F-150 to enable aftermarket conversion to natural gas for fleet operators who wished to take advantage of lower natural gas prices.
Bi-Fuel CNG Pickup Truck Development: Ford built a bi-fuel (gasoline and CNG) F-Series pickup truck through their QVM (Qualified Vehicle Modifier) program with an emphasis on durability and emissions. This was in the middle of the 1990s.

Conclusion
The market of CNG cars is growing with a speedy pace due to positive policies, the development of technology, and growing demand among customers for cleaner transport means. As infrastructure has increased and there is greater awareness, CNG cars are poised to be the reason for a shift towards sustainable mobility.