TYLER - The search for clean, green and cost-efficient fuel continues and this week we take a look at compressed natural gas vehicles.

The only commercially available compressed natural gas vehicle available in the U.S. is the Honda Civic GX.

The City of Tyler's Transit Department is driving one on loan from Honda's corporate offices to test on East Texas highways.

Tyler engineer Robert Ireland says CNG is a clean fuel and can help our country's reliance on foreign oil.

"There are huge quantities of natural gas around that could be used as a very convenient form of energy for cars," said Ireland, an engineer manager for VME Process in Tyler. "We have quite a large of amount of natural gas around in drilling wells and in the hydrate form, which is off-shore."

The Environmental Protection Agency reports CNG cars are "the cleanest internal combustion vehicles on earth."

According to EPA data, the cost to fill-up a compressed natural gas vehicle is approximately 11 dollars and gets about 36 miles per gallon.

CNG cars are filled up through a tiny slot, that plugs up to a compressor.

Honda reports there is a long waiting list for 2009 CNG cars - which costs right under $25,000.

However, since the cars are environmentally-friendly, the EPA says federal tax credits make it cheaper.