Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 59,874	$ 72,318	$ 145,880	$ 150,016
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below):
Change in fair value of derivative warrants	(445)	(17)	(40)	1,597
Selling, general and administrative	16,892	17,933	35,151	36,368
Depreciation and amortization	12,050	12,605	23,974	25,084
Total operating expenses	67,050	78,131	150,570	169,487
Operating loss	(7,176)	(5,813)	(4,690)	(19,471)
Interest expense	(1,841)	(1,842)	(4,051)	(3,733)
Interest income	273	567	654	1,147
Other income, net	2,287	93	2,462	2,764
Loss from equity method investments	(502)	(33)	(357)	(500)
Loss before income taxes	(6,959)	(7,028)	(5,982)	(19,793)
Income tax expense	(78)	(66)	(156)	(126)
Net Loss	(7,037)	(7,094)	(6,138)	(19,919)
Loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	301	1,711	1,106	3,590
Net loss attributable to Clean Energy Fuels Corp.	$ (6,736)	$ (5,383)	$ (5,032)	$ (16,329)
Net loss attributable to Clean Energy Fuels Corp. per share:
Basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.08)
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic and diluted (in shares)	200,670,137	204,653,723	202,831,346	204,426,459
Product revenue
Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 50,426	$ 59,691	$ 126,128	$ 128,139
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below):
Cost of sales	33,054	40,121	79,727	94,551
Service revenue
Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenue	9,448	12,627	19,752	21,877
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below):
Cost of sales	$ 5,499	$ 7,489	$ 11,758	$ 11,887