DOWNEY, CA – Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) hosted its first Light-Duty Natural Gas Vehicle Conference Sept. 25 at the company's Energy Resource Center in Downey, Calif. The conference featured the latest developments in compressed natural gas (CNG) technology and natural gas vehicles (NGVs). 

"The continuous high price of gasoline is putting the spotlight on vehicles powered by compressed natural gas," said Hal Snyder, vice president of customer solutions for SoCalGas. "Natural gas is a domestic resource that is clean, cheap and abundant -- and helps create jobs here in the U.S. When considering cost, efficiency and environmental benefits, natural gas is one of our nation's most attractive energy sources."

At the conference, representatives from major automakers, including Honda, provided insights on the growth of the NGV market. Honda demonstrated its all-new Honda Civic Natural Gas, which was named "Green Car of the Year" at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show and has solo driver carpool lane access until 2015. Other automakers discussed how they are re-entering the market by providing customers with dual-fuel vehicles that run on CNG or gasoline.

Attendees also learned about refueling natural gas vehicles at home and access to special natural gas rates offered by SoCalGas. Conference programs and events provided an overview of the latest regulatory policies and funding developments affecting the NGV industry, as well as opportunities to fuel and drive an NGV.  

SoCalGas is adding 1,000 new natural gas-powered trucks to its fleet and plans to upgrade all 13 company-owned public-access CNG stations. The company is a member of a national collaborative comprised of North American natural gas utilities and producers focused on advancing natural gas as a fuel for all sectors of transportation, including cars, trucks, busses, and marine and mining equipment.