Why has lpg been forgotten about?

[OldGermanHeaps]

With all this sudden backlash over diesels and NOx, and the higher co2 output and higher fuel costs of petrol why isn't log seeing more of a resurgance? Last figures i seen was the same engine unmodified running on lpg compared to petrol emitted 11% less co2 and 26% less NOx and optimising timing and compression for lpg and new lpli technologies could improve that further so why has it been forgotten as a road fuel to bridge the gap until EVs mature a bit more?
I'm giving serious consideration to doing an e500 or e55 amg estate on lpg, never had a bit of bother on the e32 735 and e38 740 on lpg before. Well, other than the usual big bmw borkage

[Ian Geary]

What's LPG?




(joke)




I guess manufacters could get decent performance / mpg via modern turbo diesel engines, rather than needing to use this route. Being perceived as non mainstream, it brings perceived complications re: servicing and reliability, plus perceived lack of availability and actual loss of storage space.

Those that know about it haven't forgotten about it (obviously) and are reaping their liquified benefits at the pumps, once the initial cost has been paid recovered.

One person I would be glad has forgotten about it is the Chancellor. If we see large scale take up of this fuel, you can guarantee the favourable tax treatment it enjoys will be pulled (see zero-excise duty cars as a case in point).



Ian

[jkh112]

I have an outlander plug in ev, and on one of the forums dedicated to this car there are a few owners who have converted their's to lpg. So maybe it will make a come back as petrol hybrids become more popular/ cheaper.

[trowelhead]

jkh112 said:

I have an outlander plug in ev, and on one of the forums dedicated to this car there are a few owners who have converted their's to lpg. So maybe it will make a come back as petrol hybrids become more popular/ cheaper.

Yep, i've also seen loads of those Lexus 4x4 hybrids converted to lpg. If the cost to convert was cheaper it would be a no brainer on alot of vehicles. But if you don't intend to keep the car a few years, then there is no cost benefit.

[Ace-T]

I am sure after the scandal there will be a move to other technologies, however LPG has to contend with the 'I have dangerous, explosive material in my boot taking up a load of space' perception. I am happy for it to continue being a technology that only a few want if it keeps my fuel bills down though! (LPG'd X350 XJ)

[bearman68]

Governments pushed diesel under pressure from European manufacturers, since Europe had the technical advantage over Japanese diesel engines. LPG uses petrol engine technology, so there is a economic cost to going 'back' to petrol.
Wouldn't surprise me to see increases in LPG costs.

[Tony427]

At the moment I run an Lpg'd Volvo S80 for work , and an Lpg'd Cadillac 3.6 litre V6 CTS is the Mr's commuting car.

We are buying LPG at 45 ppl at a local station, complete with Nectar points, and I am claiming the HMRC tax free mileage allowance when I use the car for business which is 45p per mile.

I reckon all in the S80 is costing me about 10 pence per mile to run on Lpg so my recent business jaunt to a car wash show in Amsterdam was certainly no hardship, especially when I bought lpg at 35 pence per litre in Belgium.

Never have I filled up for so little.

I'm currently finishing off a Cobra replica and I already have the V8 lpg kit for that baby even though I doubt I would do more than 6,000 miles a year in it and it already has a modern V8 ( Lexus) rather than an thirsty yank boat anchor. Still, even then I should save a quick £450 per year in fuel costs.

I think you will find that most people using LPG are almost evangelistic about it and its probably the conversion cost that puts most people off.

So the answer is if you can buy a car already converted you get the best of both worlds, and run a less polluting car that either petrol or diesel as a bonus.

Cheers,

Tony

[AER]

I posed the same question to an oil industry bod many years ago. Apparently LPG is only a small fraction of most crude oil feedstocks, so if you started to consume a lot of it in the vehicle fleet, demand would outstrip supply quite quickly, driving prices up. I think you could catalytically crack to improve the yield, but there's limits to all of this.

It is a great fuel though - completely underrated.

[SimonYorkshire]

There are more LPG vehicles in this country now than there have ever been... I have converted vehicles to LPG for more than ten years, that's all I do and am kept busy!

For all of those ten years people have said/written that if we start using more LPG prices will go up.. Nope, LPG has been around 50% the price of petrol, less than 50% the price of diesel, all of that time - And will continue to be half the price even if numbers of LPG vehicles on Brit roads doubles. One if five vehicles runs on LPG in Poland where LPG is well below half price of petrol. Years ago, one in fifty cars might have run on diesel, these days diesels are the majority, diesel prices haven't risen much relative to petrol. LPG is greeeeeen fuel compared to petrol, very very green compared to diesel.. The latest diesel relevations should by rights see diesel prices go up, making LPG look even more attractive.

All types of vehicle get converted, I have a niche for converting the 'difficult' and high performance vehicles many converters shy away from.

Simon

[Ace-T]

On an lpg note, I am looking for an lpg'd Range Rover as my next car. Would rather not traipse around the country to find one, so if anyone knows of a good one in the Midlands I would be grateful if you pointed me in its general direction. Looking at all sorts from 1k ish for an old winter runabout to 7k for a l332 keeper. Thanks muchly in advance.

[EViS]

Nice to see Simon on this forum. He is right about having a 'niche', hands down the most knowledgeable lpg installer/service guru out there. /quickplug

[anonymous-user]

SimonYorkshire said:

There are more LPG vehicles in this country now than there have ever been... I have converted vehicles to LPG for more than ten years, that's all I do and am kept busy!

For all of those ten years people have said/written that if we start using more LPG prices will go up.. Nope, LPG has been around 50% the price of petrol, less than 50% the price of diesel, all of that time - And will continue to be half the price even if numbers of LPG vehicles on Brit roads doubles. One if five vehicles runs on LPG in Poland where LPG is well below half price of petrol. Years ago, one in fifty cars might have run on diesel, these days diesels are the majority, diesel prices haven't risen much relative to petrol. LPG is greeeeeen fuel compared to petrol, very very green compared to diesel.. The latest diesel relevations should by rights see diesel prices go up, making LPG look even more attractive.

All types of vehicle get converted, I have a niche for converting the 'difficult' and high performance vehicles many converters shy away from.

Simon

How does the mileage typically compare to petrol and diesel Simon?

[wuckfitracing]

Yes totally forgotten. I often drive my LPG converted car and forget its running on gas.