The information was disclosed last week by Hernán Vega, general director of the Executing Agency for Natural Gas Vehicles Conversion (EEC-GNV). He reported that there are currently 300,000 vehicles retrofitted, out of a total of 1,326,833 vehicles operating on the national roads, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE) records until 2013.
“Overall, 30 percent of all vehicles in Bolivia operate on natural gas, whereas 80 percent of public transport fleet has been converted to compressed natural gas,” said Vega, according to an article published by Erbol.
As a result of the 300.000 vehicles powered by CNG, the nation saves US$ 250 million. “For every liter of diesel, a subsidy of more than 5 bolivianos is applied,” he added.
The general director of the EEC-GNV also expects that 34.000 vehicles will be finally converted to natural gas around the country in 2014. Figures show that 10,000 vehicles have been retrofitted from January to August. To make this possible, the company has allocated about 110 million bolivianos (US$ 16 million) for conversion, cylinder upgrading and engine program this year.
