The Japanese car maker showcased a Camry running on CNG or compressed natural gas during the Los Angeles Auto Show back in 2008. Insiders told everyone that the unit is just a study.

The Camry CNG disappeared somehow until we saw it in the recent 2009 SEMA auto show redesigned as a savvy green buggy coined as the Camry CNG Hybrid. The recent version of the Camry couples the natural gas propulsion system with the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology.

Maybe the Japanese carmaker has more plans for the CNG than we expected with legislations in countries like the United States giving tax incentives for the consumers who will prefer natural-gas cars.

The Toyota Surfrider Camry at the 2009 SEMA was pimped with a blue and green theme made cool by aggressive body kit. The ride is lowered through the installed adjustable suspension making it hug the road while rolling on its 20 inch alloy rims. You can also see the CNG cylinder setup through a viewing window cut out from the trunk.

The Camry Hybrid makes use of a 2.4L engine configured to work with the Hybrid Synergy Drive.

There are about 10 million vehicles roaming on the streets around the globe. Only 142,000 of these units are in the United States. The switch to natural gas will decrease the dependency of the U.S. on foreign-sourced oil.

Moreover, these electric mode vehicles should not be confused with other electric models that require charging by plugging into an outlet. The electricity used to power in electric mode is ”an ingenious regenerative braking system that converts otherwise wasted kinetic energy into electricity and the ability to reclaim excess energy when driving at a sustained pace, the battery is automatically recharged”.

I am baffled, though, as to how this technology helps the environment when it does not encourage reliance on alternative fuels. In fact, these hybrids seem to reinforce the need for gasoline and are not necessarily participating in the shift from gas to eco friendly fuels.

On the other hand, the technology is said to be superior to other hybrids as Toyota’s models are “full” or “true” mode giving them three ways to power the vehicle. Gasoline, electric and both systems running together are the three options but remembering that gas is a necessity in all modes. Presently Toyota offers the hybrid technology in the Highlander, the Camry, and the Prius.

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