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Natural gas, a fossil fuel comprised mostly of methane, is one of the cleanest burning alternative fuels. It can be used in the form of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel cars and trucks.

Dedicated natural gas vehicles are designed to run on natural gas only, while dual-fuel or bi-fuel vehicles can also run on gasoline or diesel. Dual-fuel vehicles allow users to take advantage of the wide-spread availability of gasoline or diesel but use a cleaner, more economical alternative when natural gas is available. Since natural gas is stored in high-pressure fuel tanks, dual-fuel vehicles require two separate fueling systems, which take up passenger/cargo space.

Natural gas vehicles are not produced commercially in large numbers—the Honda GX CNG is the only new vehicle available in the U.S. However, conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles can be retrofitted for CNG.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a substitute for gasoline (petrol), diesel, or propane fuel. It is considered to be a more environmentally “clean” alternative to those fuels and it is much safer than other motor fuels in the event of a fuel spill: natural gas is lighter than air, so it disperses quickly when leaked or spilled.

It is made by compressing natural gas (which is mainly composed of methane (CH₄)),to less than 1% of its volume at standard atmospheric pressure. It is stored and distributed in hard containers, at a normal pressure of 200–220 bar (20–22 MPa), usually in cylindrical or spherical shapes to maintain equal pressure on the walls of the containers.

In response to high fuel prices and environmental concerns, compressed natural gas is starting to be used in light-duty passenger vehicles and pickup trucks, medium-duty delivery trucks, and in transit and school buses.