2 LPG questions...
Discussion
1. Can cars run totally on LPG (no petrol tank at all) or do they need to run partly on Petrol too?
2. Why is LPG not more common? Why are manufacturers (apart from Proton) not fitting cars with an LPG conversion from the factory, or designing LPG conversions into the car from stage one?
LPG itself is cheaper to buy, It also returns similar MPG and performance to Petrol in the same engine so unless I'm missing something, why hasn't it caught on more now petrol is so expensive?
2. Why is LPG not more common? Why are manufacturers (apart from Proton) not fitting cars with an LPG conversion from the factory, or designing LPG conversions into the car from stage one?
LPG itself is cheaper to buy, It also returns similar MPG and performance to Petrol in the same engine so unless I'm missing something, why hasn't it caught on more now petrol is so expensive?
Edited by Deluded on Saturday 2nd July 11:45
Deluded said:
1. Can cars run totally on LPG (no petrol tank at all) or do they need to run partly on Petrol too?
2. Why is LPG not more common? Why are manufacturers (apart from Proton) not fitting cars with an LPG conversion from the factory, or designing LPG conversions into the car from stage one?
LPG itself is cheaper to buy, It also returns similar MPG and performance to Petrol in the same engine so unless I'm missing something, why hasn't it caught on more now petrol is so expensive?
1.Totally on LPG, but start and get up to temp on petrol. It switches automatically.2. Why is LPG not more common? Why are manufacturers (apart from Proton) not fitting cars with an LPG conversion from the factory, or designing LPG conversions into the car from stage one?
LPG itself is cheaper to buy, It also returns similar MPG and performance to Petrol in the same engine so unless I'm missing something, why hasn't it caught on more now petrol is so expensive?
Edited by Deluded 11:45
2. Slightly less MPG and performance but I am told it wasnt noticable on a friends Audi 4.2 V8. Its still a pretty expensive outlay and you need to be doing lots of miles for it to be worth while. You can actually remap the car and gain more power with LPG
It hasn't caught on as well as it should because the government, despite its protestations of green interest refuse to promise not to increase the duty. Therefore the fuel and car companies are reticent to make the neccessary investments.
Its massive in places like Italy and conversions are no longer the messy timebomb they once were.
Its massive in places like Italy and conversions are no longer the messy timebomb they once were.
Deluded said:
1. Can cars run totally on LPG (no petrol tank at all) or do they need to run partly on Petrol too?
2. Why is LPG not more common? Why are manufacturers (apart from Proton) not fitting cars with an LPG conversion from the factory, or designing LPG conversions into the car from stage one?
LPG itself is cheaper to buy, It also returns similar MPG and performance to Petrol in the same engine so unless I'm missing something, why hasn't it caught on more now petrol is so expensive?
1, The lubrication properties of petrol are better than LPG in a cold engine scenario (* I think)2. Why is LPG not more common? Why are manufacturers (apart from Proton) not fitting cars with an LPG conversion from the factory, or designing LPG conversions into the car from stage one?
LPG itself is cheaper to buy, It also returns similar MPG and performance to Petrol in the same engine so unless I'm missing something, why hasn't it caught on more now petrol is so expensive?
Edited by Deluded on Saturday 2nd July 11:45
2, People stick to what they know. It's a cost thing. If everyone changed, the price would go up!
You can run and start on LPG but in cold weather can struggle at first(The liqued gas is fed into a vapouriser that is warmed by being cut into the cooling circuit, on really cold morning the gas would not vapourise as easily)
Some others did , Volvo, Vauxhall, Ford all sold "new vehicles" with LPG but they were all aftermarkets fitted before sale.
Some others did , Volvo, Vauxhall, Ford all sold "new vehicles" with LPG but they were all aftermarkets fitted before sale.
Car companies dont really do it, as they'd be competing with themselves-
A petrol model, with added cost of lpg system fitted, would be the same cost as the diesel model of that car.
Your average consumer is much more likely to by the diesel - the devils fuel is available everywhere, and takes you very far on a tankful.
The petrol lpg version would have to have a tank somewhere - either in boot, or under car (reducing petrol tank size), on in spare wheel well. Then the customer has to make sure he fills up with both lpg and petrol.- and lpg isn't available out in the sticks plus he still cant travel as far as the derv equivalent. (unless the boot is taken up with a massive tank)
I dont think there'd be any sense for the car companies to produce factory lpg cars- they wouldnt make any money. (i think they had government tax breaks for doing lpg converted cars around 2000/2001, which is why theres a few so called factory fitted lpg fords and vauxhalls around. As soon as the tax breaks stopped, it wasnt economically viable to keep doing the factory fitted versions.)
To me, lpg only makes sense if:
1) you have a big engined car, you love it, do lots of miles and will keep it for the foreseeable future. (and you done mind loosing spare wheel well or boot space)
or
2) if you buy a car already converted - someone else has taken the hit of installation cost
A petrol model, with added cost of lpg system fitted, would be the same cost as the diesel model of that car.
Your average consumer is much more likely to by the diesel - the devils fuel is available everywhere, and takes you very far on a tankful.
The petrol lpg version would have to have a tank somewhere - either in boot, or under car (reducing petrol tank size), on in spare wheel well. Then the customer has to make sure he fills up with both lpg and petrol.- and lpg isn't available out in the sticks plus he still cant travel as far as the derv equivalent. (unless the boot is taken up with a massive tank)
I dont think there'd be any sense for the car companies to produce factory lpg cars- they wouldnt make any money. (i think they had government tax breaks for doing lpg converted cars around 2000/2001, which is why theres a few so called factory fitted lpg fords and vauxhalls around. As soon as the tax breaks stopped, it wasnt economically viable to keep doing the factory fitted versions.)
To me, lpg only makes sense if:
1) you have a big engined car, you love it, do lots of miles and will keep it for the foreseeable future. (and you done mind loosing spare wheel well or boot space)
or
2) if you buy a car already converted - someone else has taken the hit of installation cost
Yes you can have cars that are 100% LPG but it is quite unusual and a bit inconvenient.
You'll see more coming to market soon as manufacturers try to meet Euro 5 emissions targets but I guess they'll be mostly dual fuel.
I think it hasn't really caught on as people are a bit scared of it. Re-fuelling is a pain too. It smells, you get cold hands and normally breathe some in.
You'll see more coming to market soon as manufacturers try to meet Euro 5 emissions targets but I guess they'll be mostly dual fuel.
I think it hasn't really caught on as people are a bit scared of it. Re-fuelling is a pain too. It smells, you get cold hands and normally breathe some in.
I ran on lpg for nearly 10 years and never got cold hands from the gas discharge, never breathed it in either (certainly no more than the stink of petrol our diesel from the adjacent pump... )
In fact I much prefer filling an lpg car to my current diesel thing.
I will also happy look to another lpg car when I get rid of this unless the price of gas has gone really silly
In fact I much prefer filling an lpg car to my current diesel thing.
I will also happy look to another lpg car when I get rid of this unless the price of gas has gone really silly
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