Indonesian origin taxi company, SMART Automobile is taking a gamble of gas powered/ Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) taxis, with help from Natl Env Agency (NEA)
The 2 year old taxi operator has secured financial aid of up to S$2 million from NEA, in a bid to build a fleet of
500 CNG powered cabs.
CNG Cabs are cheaper to run than their Diesel counterparts, with the only obstacle being lack of CNG filling stations in Singapore (theres only one in jurong Island)
SMART managing director, Mr Tommy Harjantho, plans to open one CNG filling station at SMART's taxi depot at Bedok North, one in Woodlands or Sin Ming, and possibly one mobile unit. Talks is on-going with CityGas and SembGas, to purchase the fuel.
SMART has currently 500 toyota crowns, 1 Mercedes Benz E200 (bi-fuel). the company has
plans to order 100 more of the Merc bi-fuel cab.
This MB E200 bi-fuel cab runs on CNG or Petrol, cost $105,000 per unit, or $5,000 less than the diesel powered MB E220 (due to grants and discounts courtesy of Daimler Chrysler, which supports the CNG drive).
This holds a big advantage as well. Cheaper costs may means cheaper rates/ fares for passengers, and lower rental rate for cabbies. also,
CNG retails at 70 cents for the equilivant of 1 litre of petrol (cost $1.67 currently, $1.07 for diesel). cost breakdown is roughly 7cents/ km (bi-fuel) vs 11cents for diesel powered. The cab is flexible when changing between CNG and Petrol.
The disadvantage? this cab mentioned neds refuelling twice daily (diesel counterparts only refuel once per day).
The bi-fuel cab driver, Mr Toh Poh Cheng, 50, lives in Jurong and faces no hurdle in going to Jurong Island for refuelling twice daily, also added that driving this cab is
quiter, smoother, and cheaper to drive, in terms of fuel.
Article taken/ summarised from ST Home, page H4
in another ironic situation,
(Click here to read an earlier report concerning the fate of CNG cabs)