The figures provided by the CNG Management of the National Gas Regulatory Agency (Enargas) indicate that during the first quarter of this year, 44.489 vehicles were converted to natural gas, although the number is set to be higher, since the agency’s records are not yet complete. Therefore, the monthly average of transitions to CNG accounts for 14,829 vehicles so far this year.
This high level of activity has not been registered since 2004, when the monthly average of conversions for the whole year reached 15,274 vehicles.
As a result of comparing the first quarter of 2014 with the same period last year, the growth is very significant: 30,263 conversions turned to 44,489, i.e. an increase of 47%.
Moreover, in March 2013 CNG conversions had reached 11,097 vehicles, whereas in the same month this year climbed to 14,592, representing an increase of over 30 percent.
Last year, there were 157,801 conversions to natural gas in total, 23,477 more than in 2012. That was the highest annual figure achieved in nine years. In addition, the monthly average of transitions was 13,150, the highest mark achieved since 2004. The peak of the activity took place in July, with 16,630 retrofits, the highest mark achieved in a single month since 2006.
The all-time accumulated CNG conversion figure in Argentina totals over 2.4 million vehicles, although there are actually 1,535,165 certified on the road nowadays, according to the latest report published by the Enargas in September 2013.
