The number of vehicles that have been transformed to run on natural gas reached 267,000 by the end of July, according to Abdelfattah Farahat, the Egyptian International Gas Technology Company (Gastec) Chairman and Managing Director, El Watan newspaper reported.

More than 3,000 taxi cars are being converted every month, while private cars conversion rate has increased by 40%.

Gastec current expansion plans target adding 50,000 natural gas-powered vehicles during 2019, as well as transforming 142,000 cabs by 2022, and replacing 88,000 diesel-powered microbuses.

Farahat added that several natural gas filling stations are operating in Cairo, Alexandria, and other governorates, including four Gastec stations serving the Cairo Transportation Authority (CTA) public buses.

The Egyptian government plans to convert the entire CTA bus fleet to run on natural gas and electricity, with many economic and environmental benefits expected from the move, including increased fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions.

Cairo recently received the first batch of 121 natural gas-powered joining the CTA’s fleet.