Gasoline, diesel, and natural gas, or CNG. Three fuels and a question: what is the best to travel? To answer that, there have been four stages of a long journey through Spain, adding a total of 3,300 kilometres, equivalent to almost a return to the Peninsula, and analysed the cost to the detail of each path to extract the conclusions.

The initiative is part of the Seat, which has raised the displacement using a representation of its fleet of models of CNG: a Ibiza, a Arona, and two Lion, one of five doors and other Sportstourer or with bodywork family. The models were driven by journalists and motor, to bring the conditions of circulation of any family or group of friends who made the trip, went with two or three people on-board, your corresponding luggage and some extra weight of the recording equipment (cameras,...).

After the four stages (Madrid-Valencia-Barcelona-Madrid-Sevilla-Madrid; Madrid-Bilbao-Zaragoza and Bilbao-Oviedo-Santiago de Compostela), the average cost of the four models was only 118 euros. If you had covered the same distance on gasoline would have gone for a minimum of 260 euros, and with diesel fuel for about 185.

But to do more detailed calculations, and compare the final bill of each fuel, has chosen the Lion with bodywork family, the more spacious and recommended for long trips. The price of gasoline referred to has been of 1.35 euros per litre, and the diesel, of 1.16. And consumption are the official WLTP supplied by the manufacturer: the 4.9-liter in the diesel (1.6 TDI 115 HP) and 5.9 in the gasoline (1.0 TSI 115 HP).

In the tests, the expense of the Lion Sportstourer CNG (1.5 GI of 130 CV) ranged between 3.9 and 4.1 kilograms per 100 kilometers, very close to the 4.0 official value WLTP, so that you can combine this actual record, obtained in the test, with the officers of the petrol and diesel without incurring inaccuracies, because the difference of these with the actual expenses (also very similar) is also equivalent.

First stage: from Madrid to Valencia and Barcelona.

travelled Distance: 710 km. Cost: less than 26 euros.

The Lion Sportstourer of natural gas yielded a consumption at this stage of 4.1 kilos, resulting in an average cost per 100 kilometers of 3.66 euros (price of a kilo of natural gas, between 0.83 and 0.92 euros) and a total bill of 25,97€. With a diesel it would have gone for 40,32€, and with gasoline, for 56,51. The savings of travel with CNG is superior to 14 euros compared to diesel and more than 30 with respect to the gasoline.

Second stage: from Madrid to Seville and back to Madrid.

Distance: 1.140 miles. Cost: less than 41 euros.

The Lion of CNG spent to 3.94 pounds, and, with the same fork of the variation of cost of fuel of the former stage, the price each 100 km was 3.57 euros, giving rise to a total of 40.89 euros. Diesel had risen to 64,75, and with gasoline, 90,74. The savings is greater than 23 euros compared to diesel and a case 50 in comparison with gasoline.

Third stage: from Madrid to Bilbao and Zaragoza.

Distance: 800 kilometers. Cost: lower to 27.5 euros.

In this third journey, the Lion family of natural gas consumed 3,86 kilograms to 100 kilometers and, as the fuel cost between 0.86 and 0.92 euros a kilo, the disbursement each 100 was 3,43 euros, the lowest of all, and the total 27,46. Respect to to do so with diesel fuel (45,44 € invoice at the completion of the stage), the savings is around 19 euros, and gasoline (63,68), more than 36 euros.

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Fourth stage: from Bilbao to Oviedo and Santiago de Compostela.

Distance: 650 km. Cost: lower to 24.5 euros.

The last tour. The Lion of CNG spent 4,15 kg of gas and, with the same rates of natural gas from the earlier journeys, the price each 100 kilometres was 3.72 euros. So, to travel the 650 miles would cost 24,08 euros, compared to the 36,92 of the diesel and the 51,74 of the gas, giving rise to an economic advantage in favour of CNG is almost 13 and 28 euros, respectively.

Conclusion: up to 4,000 extra miles

Adding the four stages, the Lion of natural gas with bodywork family allowed to complete the 3,300 km route for a total cost of 118,4 eur. A number eye-catching, and that marks a savings of 69,03 in front of the diesel (187,43 euros) and 144,27 gasoline (262,67). And, if this saving would continue to circulate, it could take 1.924 extra miles in comparison with the diesel and up to 4.021, taking as a reference the differential of the petrol.

Date Of Update: 26 December 2019, 23:01