RAC Gas Enjoy information demonstrates that petrol and diesel costs are Particularly volatile in the last couple of several years.

Blend this With all the enhanced govt force on house owners of diesel autos and the fee and infrastructure worries all around electric automobiles and it could lead on to motorists hunting somewhere else.

Just what exactly of LPG, the seemingly great different that's been left out during the chilly of late? Below we Have a look to view whether it is a viable solution or not.
Precisely what is LPG and how could it be produced?

LPG means liquefied petroleum gas which is a kind of 'liquid gasoline' that may be made use of as fuel for several different reasons, including powering automobiles.

Also referred to as butane and propane gas, or autogas in motoring circles, it's the by-product in the processing of purely natural gas liquids and also the refining of crude oil.

Although customarily it was deliberately burnt off and wasted, in the last few a long time it's been recognised as a flexible low-carbon gas – and made use of productively.

Even though the phrase ‘liquid gas’ appears for being a contradiction in phrases, it truly describes a transparent gasoline that turns to liquid when subjected to force or cooling: it’s this attribute which allows it to be saved in tanks in a automobile.

Most petrol cars and trucks may be equipped with an LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) conversion, turning them into ‘dual-gasoline cars and trucks’ that may operate on LPG as well as petrol. Some brands, such as Dacia, have sold conversions from the manufacturing unit.

LPG

The benefit of this is obvious whenever you take a look at filling station prices for The 2 fuels: LPG gas is nicely below £1 a litre in 2024, Whilst petrol and diesel hasn't been under that determine due to the fact 2007.

Despite the fact that vehicles are not likely to get a lot more gasoline-productive when operating on LPG, you could however preserve a piece on the gas charges. At the time the price of the LPG conversion has been paid out off, This may include as many as a substantial preserving – and the greater you generate, the more you help you save.
Why is it not more commonly utilized?

While LPG is widely used by residences and businesses, below a person percent of vehicles on United kingdom roadways are fuelled by it.

There are a selection of reasons why Many individuals are hesitant to transform their motor vehicle to operate on LPG but one of the largest motives is The shortage of incentives with the British isles Governing administration.

Whilst cars and trucks converted by accredited firms may qualify to save lots of on auto excise responsibility (VED), by staying classed being an ‘alternatively-fuelled’ auto, the most recent guidelines suggest these only conserve £ten every year on street tax.

Much like electric powered autos, it’s a ‘rooster and egg’ scenario. With LPG-transformed vehicles symbolizing these types of a small proportion of all vehicles on British isles roads, there’s little incentive for filling stations to supply LPG. And if it’s difficult to find filling stations stocking it, motorists will likely be unwilling to convert to LPG.

Lots of people don’t understand the positives and negatives of managing an LPG car. With no very same incentives as electrical automobiles, LPG just isn’t being promoted in the united kingdom. Quite a few motorists basically aren’t aware of its existence.

Drivers are concerned about the cost. Changing a petrol motor vehicle to run on LPG can Value as much as £2,000, and there’s no promise within the UK federal government that it received’t elevate duties on LPG in the future. The price of LPG has also enhanced considerably in the final number of years, slashing possible personal savings.

This uncertainty will make it tough to market an LPG-converted auto, indicating you’ll battle to Get the a reimbursement if you do pay for a conversion and after that promote the car.

Even though several automobile companies have prior to now experimented with giving manufacturing facility-suit LPG kits on new types (chances are you'll come across ‘dual-fuel’ Fords, Dacias, Vauxhalls, Protons and Saabs in the classifieds), all of them offered in tiny numbers and, as a result, only Dacia sells new LPG converted cars and trucks currently.

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How readily available is LPG?
Another reason why Many of us are reluctant to transform their automobile to operate on LPG is The issue to find gasoline stations that offer it.

In accordance with the UK trade association for that LPG business, UKLPG, there are actually 1,400 LPG refuelling stations across the nation in comparison with all-around 8,350 filling stations All round.

Which means it’s more challenging to locate LPG than petrol or diesel, particularly if you reside inside of a rural region the place filling stations are scarcer.

It is actually obtaining easier to Find LPG stockists, however. There are actually now many Internet sites and mobile phone applications exhibiting your nearest LPG supplier, and in some cases allowing you Assess expenditures.

Many the massive gas station chains often present LPG, which include Shell, BP and Esso, as do grocery store petrol stations, notably some Morrisons and Sainsbury’s stations.
Need to I change my automobile to LPG?

Let's summarise the advantages and disadvantages of converting your car to LPG.
Execs

More cost-effective than petrol and diesel
Minimized CO2 emissions
Quieter than diesel engines
Evaporates in the case of the leak, so very low chance

Disadvantages

Costly to setup
Intricate – further expenses if it goes wrong and for servicing
Is usually tough to click here fill up