NGVs fastest growing in Europe markets

  This country was one of the fastest growing markets for NGVs in Europe in the last 18 months, with nearly three times as many vehicles powered by natural gas on its roads. Belgium has now more than 2,000 NGVs on its roads, up from 650 in 2013. This growth also spurred several large fuel distributors to announce their firm intention to more than triple the total amount of CNG stations by 2018.

  The success was in no small part the result of a subsidy of 2,000 euros in 2014 by the Belgian Federation of Natural Gas (KVBG) on the purchase of a gas powered vehicle during the country’s yearly car show, with several manufacturers adding large discounts to the campaign. It attracted more than 800 buyers and managed to firmly establish natural gas as an alternative to diesel and gasoline in Belgium.

  To keep the momentum going, the KVBG repeated the promotion during this year’s car show, with an additional 250 vehicles sold and a comparable result in the amount of publicity it generated. A special subsidy to entice municipalities to change to natural gas as a fuel has – so far – resulted in 150 vehicles sold.

  Belgium currently has 20 CNG stations (and two LNG stations – in the port city of Antwerp and in Veurne along a major link for trucks between the UK and North-Western Europe). The aim is to have 75 sites in a 3-year period, with particularly distributor Dats24 planning to invest in 50 extra facilities in the coming three years. Q8 also announced it will open a CNG station soon. New stations that help bridge gaps are subsidized with 40.000 euros by the Belgian natural gas association.

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