HEVs on methane???

[mgaf-muat]

So, some time ago I saw a Top Gear episode (season 2 - 3, I think; early 2000s) where they tested a couple of vehicles, modified to run on methane against one running on normal gas, which destroyed them in a drag race.
But now that we are on the movement of hybrids and EVs, it got me thinking...

In "city performance" hybrid vehicles like the toyota prius (YES I JUST MENTIONED IT ) the main function of the gas engine is not so much to power the vehicle itself, but more so to charge the electric battery, isn't it? This means (I think - noob speaking here), that it doesn't need that much power extracted from burning gasoline, so maybe instead of gas, have it run on methane that is recylcable and easy to produce (basically s*** gas ) although I have no idea about what the difference would be in emissions.

What you guys think? Any information supporting or debunking this idea?

[MatheusKS]

The thing is... Methane is the IUPAC name for natural gas. They are the same thing.

I usually don't watch Top Gear (what they do with cars breaks my heart - except the episode when they turn their cars into trains), but another option for natural gas is LPG (propane/butane) or biogas (a mixture with methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen).