F.A.Q's
Table of Contents
- What is Autogas?
- What about LPG as a motor fuel .. ?
- What are the advantages of running on LPG ... ?
- And the cost advantages ... ?
- Is it safe ... ?
- Why doesn't my filling station sell it ... ?
- Can I buy a bi-fuel car ... ?
- Can I get my car converted ... ?
- Where can I get my vehicle converted ... ?
- How much does conversion cost ... ?
- Can my car be converted ... ?
- Will I save money using Autogas ... ?
- Do I need engine modifications to use Autogas ... ?
- How do I get a quotation for a gas conversion ... ?
- But are there many pumps available ... ?
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What is Autogas?
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a mixture of propane and butane. Most LP gas comes from the separation of natural gas products or as a by product of refinery operations. It is mainly known to the public as a bottled gas for domestic cooking and heating, but is used in great volume in the industry, agriculture and leisure energy markets. The long-term availability of the fuel is assured and the UK currently produces a surplus of over four million tonnes a year from the North Sea.
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What about LPG as a motor fuel ... ?
LP gas is used to power about 4 million cars and vans around the world. Larger markets include Italy with 1.1 m vehicles, Australia with 490,000 and The Netherlands with 360,000 -the highest percentage of the total number of vehicles of any country.
Nearly all the taxis in Japan run on LPG, and India, Brazil, Turkey and the USA all have significant numbers of gas-fuelled cars. Buses, light vans and, more recently, heavy duty trucks can be converted to run on the fuel, as can diesel-engined boats, fork lift trucks and generators.
Propane liquefies easily at fairly low pressure and can therefore be stored as a liquid in a relatively small space. LPG engines work in a similar manner to petrol combustion engines and conversion is therefore a simple process. Converting diesel engines to LP gas use is a more complicated operation. All modern conversions maintain bi-fuel capability so the vehicle can still be run on its original fuel.
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What are the advantages of running on LPG ... ?
The gas stored in a tank either in the vehicle or underneath, depending on the make and model of the the environmental benefits are enormous. Recent tests have shown the advantages of LP gas against petrol and diesel. Road transport is the largest single source of particulates that, Department of Health statistics suggest, are responsible for several thousand advanced deaths each year as well as many thousands of instances of illness. Air quality in the UK declined in 1999, with an average of 30 days where air quality was less than the standard set for urban areas, as opposed to 22 days in 1998. Rural areas have also seen a decline and a recent survey suggested that traffic fumes cost Britain's farmers hundreds of millions of pounds in lost yields.
LPG has a lower level of particulate emission than either petrol or diesel, as well as substantial reductions in equally harmful Oxides of Nitrogen. There are also advantages in another area of pollution -noise -with LP gas engines up to 50% quieter than diesel. It has been estimated that buses running on LPG are as much as 70% cleaner and 30% less noisy than those with diesel engines.
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And the cost advantages ... ?
At around 40p a litre, LPG is under half the price of petrol. The government has increased duty on petrol and diesel every year since 1994, while at the same time rewarding the environmental advantages of the cleaner fuel by freezing or reducing the duty on LPG. In March 1999 the chancellor reduced he LPG duty by 29%, whilst increasing that on other fuels by 6% plus inflation, and a year later LP gas was again excluded as other fuel duties were increased. The Chancellor has indicated his intention to increase the duty differential between petrol and diesel and cleaner fuels like LPG in the 2001 budget.
There are also plans to introduce different levels of VED {Vehicle Excise Duty) with clean fuel vehicles qualifying for a reduced rate.
Clean burning LPG offers efficient combustion within the engine, prolonging engine life with reduced contamination of oil and the absence of acid and carbon deposits. The life of spark plugs is also extended.
A litre of LPG allows a vehicle to travel 75 -80% of the distance achieved with petrol, resulting in more frequent refueling stops, but the comparative price of the fuels easily outweighs this disadvantage.
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Is it safe ... ?
All viable motor fuels are volatile but LP gas has an excellent safety record. The fuel tank is much stronger than conventional ones and has maintained its integrity in crash and fire tests. Approved conversions all have electronic shut off valves which activate when the engine is switched off or if the fuel pipe is damaged. Regulators and venting systems are ,. ~ constantly being improved, and standardisation 18 of filling equipment and the regulation of converters and conversion equipment have helped to minimise risk.
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Why doesn't my filling station sell it ... ?
It will. In October 2000 there were 550 LPG filling points around the country, 200 of which had opened in the previous six months. That represents an increase of one station per day, and this rate of openings is expected to continue, Shell and BP both have extensive expansion programmes for their LPG infrastructure, and major supermarkets are starting to put pumps on their sites, so expect to see Autogas on a forecourt near yo4 soon.
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Can I buy a bi-fuel car ... ?
Several vehicle manufacturers have started to offer offer their cars in LPG options. Vauxhall, Volvo, Ford, Citroen, Daewoo and Nissan are among those marketing one or more of their models either factory- produced or converted at the time of purchase. As bi-fuel models are produced to order there can be a minor delay in delivery.
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Can I get my car converted ... ?
There are now more than 50 Approved Installers across the country who have been inspected by the LP Gas Association (LPGA) and conform to the strict safety and procedural standards demanded by the approval scheme. Other companies offer the conversion service but without regulation there is a good chance that poor quality or DIY conversions will be at best unecomomical and at worst dangerous. A badly converted vehicle can in fact cause more environmental damage than it did when running on petrol.
Most vehicles can run on LPG, although the conversion from diesel requires fundamental and expensive modifications to the engine. Newer vehicles produce the best results in terms of reduced emissions.
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Where can I get my vehicle converted ... ?
here at EnviroGas we convert vehicles large and small.our own trained technicians, in compliance with the regulations governing Autogas conversions carry out all conversion work. An Autogas conversion should take no more than two days to complete depending upon the vehicle and type of conversion.
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How much does conversion cost ... ?
Petrol engines are relatively easy to convert and, with the full management and multipoint liquid or vapour injection, the cost is likely to be in the region of £1000 -£1,500. On an annual mileage of 25,000 the savings on fuel costs could more than recoup this outlay.
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Can my car be converted ... ?
An Autogas conversion can be fitted to any petrol engine and provide the user with a cleaner and cheaper fuel for running cars, motor-homes, vans and minibuses etc. The Autogas equipment can if required be transferred to another vehicle even when the vehicle is of another make and model.
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Will I save money using Autogas ... ?
As soon as you drive away in your converted vehicle you will be saving around £1.50 per gallon on fuel costs.For example a Vauxhall Frontera 2)i returning 23.9 mpg and traveling 20,000 miles per annum, would be saving in excess of £1,200.00 per year on fuel, not to mention the savings on reduced engine servicing.
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Do I need engine modifications to use Autogas ... ?
petrol engines that are suitable for lead0free fuel are suitable for using Autogas. If you intend to convert a vehicle that only runs on leaded fuel, you will need to have the valve seats replaced.
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How do I get a quotation for a gas conversion ... ?
Contact us on 01827 68766 and give us details of your vehicle(s) including average milelage, and we will send you a printout showing the cost of the conversion. We will also show you the cost saving you will make by using Autogas.
Altenatively you may want to fill in our on-line quotation request form - click here
But are there many pumps available ... ?
At the start of 1999 only 150 refuelling sites were in operation and today we have around 750 with one new refuelling site opening up every day of the week. By the end of this year there will be 1,000 sites in operation and by the end of 2002 the number will be 1,400.
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