Italgas practice what they preach

© FCACars don't get much cleaner and greener than the ones you see above. Way to go, Italgas!

Italgas is serious and ambitious about introducing methane-fueled cars to its fleet – they intend to replace all the vehicles used to date with ones running on the gaseous fuel. It's a process that's bound to take time, so it will happen gradually, with the first batch handed over in Torino, at the historic Italgas facility at Corso Regina Margherita on December 18, 2017. Rome and Napoli will follow soon.

Italgas is Italy's primary natural distributor and the third largest in Europe. By introducing CNG-powered cars, the company aims to cut emissions and improve air quality in the cities where it operates. The company is the first in its home country to replace all (approx. 2500) of its vehicles with methane-fueled ones, yet even that is not the ultimate goal. As part of its 2017-2023 plan, Italgas wants to construct 120 new CNG refueling sites, even though Italy already has one of the best developed CNG retail networks in Europe.

Italgas' vehicle needs are varied, but luckily so is Fiat's Natural Power range of models. The gas distributor will use most if not all available options from the line-up: Panda, Panda Van, Fiorino, 500L, Doblò, Qubo and Ducato. It's hardly surprising Fiat is nowadays almost a monopolist on the European CNG market, with a 45% share – no other manufacturer could single-handedly provide all the vehicles Italgas requires to make their plan reality.