Natural gas has many advantages over petroleum.
Its reserves are vast and widely distributed throughout the world, it does not need a costly refinery to render it into a vehicle fuel, it is easily distributed by a vast existing network of pipelines, and it is ultra-clean in burning. This limitation is largely a result of the cost, weight, size, and vehicle packaging considerations associated with existing CNG storage cylinders. Development of the ISS is intended to remedy this limitation and permit widespread use of natural gas technology in passenger cars. The Integrated Storage System partitions the roles of pressure containment and tolerance to damage, and it optimizes each role through the use of composite materials and an innovative package design. The pressure cell overwrap thickness is optimized based on safety, weight, and cost.