RAC Fuel Watch knowledge reveals that petrol and diesel rates are already Particularly volatile in the last couple of several years.

Blend this Using the improved federal government strain on house owners of diesel autos and the fee and infrastructure worries all around electrical vehicles and it could lead to motorists looking in other places.

What exactly of LPG, the seemingly best option that's been overlooked in the chilly of late? Listed here we take a look to determine no matter whether it's a feasible choice or not.
What's LPG And exactly how is it made?

LPG stands for liquefied petroleum fuel and is also a kind of 'liquid gasoline' that may be made use of as fuel for several different needs, such as powering autos.

Also known as butane and propane gasoline, or autogas in motoring circles, it's the by-item with the processing of all-natural gasoline liquids as well as the refining of crude oil.

Even though traditionally it was deliberately burnt off and squandered, in the previous few a long time it has been recognised as a flexible low-carbon fuel – and utilised productively.

Even though the phrase ‘liquid fuel’ seems to be a contradiction in terms, it truly describes a clear gas that turns to liquid when subjected to stress or cooling: it’s this characteristic that permits it to get stored in tanks in the car or truck.

Most petrol cars and trucks can be equipped with an LPG (Liquid Petroleum Fuel) conversion, turning them into ‘twin-gas autos’ which will operate on LPG together with petrol. Some makes, which include Dacia, have bought conversions with the manufacturing facility.

LPG

The advantage of this is clear when you look at filling station prices for The 2 fuels: LPG gas is nicely underneath £1 a litre in 2024, whereas petrol and diesel has not been beneath that figure since 2007.

Although autos are unlikely to be extra gas-effective when functioning on LPG, you could possibly even now conserve a piece in your gasoline payments. At the time the price of the LPG conversion has been paid out off, This may incorporate up to a major preserving – and the more you generate, the greater you save.
Why could it be no more widely utilised?

Although LPG is broadly employed by houses and enterprises, lower than just one percent of vehicles on United kingdom streets are fuelled by it.

There are a selection of reasons why A lot of people are hesitant to transform their motor vehicle to operate on LPG but certainly one of the most important motives is The shortage of incentives with the British isles Government.

Even though vehicles converted by authorized organizations may possibly qualify to avoid wasting on automobile excise obligation (VED), by getting classed as an ‘alternatively-fuelled’ car, the latest rules necessarily mean these only help you save £ten a year on road tax.

Much like electric powered automobiles, it’s a ‘chicken and egg’ state of affairs. With LPG-transformed vehicles representing these types of a little proportion of all cars on United kingdom roadways, there’s very little incentive for filling stations to supply LPG. And when it’s hard to find filling stations stocking it, motorists will probably be unwilling to convert to LPG.

Many people don’t fully grasp the positives and negatives of managing an LPG vehicle. With no exact same incentives as electric powered automobiles, LPG simply isn’t currently being promoted in the UK. A lot of motorists simply aren’t conscious of its existence.

Motorists can also be worried about the expenditure. Converting a petrol auto to operate on LPG can Price just as much as £two,000, and there’s no assure with the British isles authorities that it gained’t increase obligations on LPG Down the road. The price of LPG has also elevated considerably in the last number of decades, slashing possible personal savings.

This uncertainty may make it tricky to sell an LPG-transformed car, this means you’ll wrestle to Obtain your a refund if you are doing purchase a conversion after which you can provide the vehicle.

Whilst a handful of car manufacturers have in the past experimented with offering manufacturing unit-in good shape LPG kits on new products (you may obtain ‘twin-fuel’ Fords, Dacias, Vauxhalls, Protons and Saabs in the classifieds), all of them marketed in tiny numbers and, therefore, only Dacia sells new LPG converted cars now.

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How readily available is LPG?
One more reason why many people are hesitant to transform their auto to operate on LPG is The problem find fuel stations that give it.

According to the United kingdom website trade Affiliation for the LPG marketplace, UKLPG, you'll find one,four hundred LPG refuelling stations across the country when compared to about 8,350 filling stations In general.

That means it’s more challenging to discover LPG than petrol or diesel, particularly if you reside in a rural location wherever filling stations are scarcer.

It is acquiring simpler to Track down LPG stockists, nevertheless. You will find now several Internet websites and phone applications demonstrating your closest LPG service provider, and even letting you Evaluate costs.

Numerous the big fuel station chains occasionally offer LPG, which includes Shell, BP and Esso, as do supermarket petrol stations, notably some Morrisons and Sainsbury’s stations.
Ought to I convert my car to LPG?

Let us summarise the benefits and drawbacks of changing your vehicle to LPG.
Professionals

More affordable than petrol and diesel
Decreased CO2 emissions
Quieter than diesel engines
Evaporates in the situation of the leak, so minimal danger

Cons

Highly-priced to set up
Difficult – additional costs if it goes Erroneous and for servicing
Might be hard to replenish