subject: The Facts about LPG Conversions [print this page] The Facts about LPG Conversions The Facts about LPG Conversions
UK fuel prices are increasing at a phenomenal rate; this is largely due to government taxation on petrol and diesel. LPG conversions are an efficient and cost-effective solution to the inflated fuel prices of petrol and diesel, allowing vehicles to run primarily on Liquid Propane Gas (LPG).
Car conversions are used to modify existing fuel systems, accomplished via the installation of a parallel fuel system that enables the vehicle to switch between LPG and its main fuel. For various technical reasons, a petrol engine is particularly adaptable to an LPG fuel conversion; thus, most conversions are carried out on petrol cars, rather than diesels, which require technologies that are more convoluted.
LPG prices are cheaper than other forms of fuel, by around 53%; this is in part because it is subject to lower fuel tax, but also because it is better for engines being less corrosive, it causes less wear thus meaning lower maintenance costs for the vehicle.
There are roughly 1,400 fuelling stations throughout the UK that offer LPG as standard, this means that it is easy to refill the tank but failing this, LPG conversions allow the car to switch between fuel sources, as they keep the original fuel system. Some car conversions come with manual switches that allow the driver to choose which fuel type to employ; with other conversions, the process is wholly automatic. In general, the converted car will run on petrol until the engine has warmed up, at which point it will shift to LPG fuel.
LPG is recognized as a green' fuel, meaning that it is less damaging to the environment than other types of fuel with LPG conversions, cars will produce fewer exhaust emissions, CO2 output is established to be around 20% less for LPG than petrol, therefore, opting for an LPG conversion reduces the carbon footprint of the car. It is largely for this reason that governments choose not to place high taxes on this type of fuel and why many LPG fuelled cars are exempt from Congestion Charges in the UK.
The popularity of LPG as a fuel is increasing rapidly, in part because of the environmental benefits of LPG over other fuels, its cost advantages and its increasing availability. Governments throughout the world are actively encouraging their citizens to use LPG as an alternative to petrol and diesel. Furthermore, as governments increasingly focus their attentions on the environmental issues facing the world today, the incentives to switch to a cleaner, greener' fuel will continue to proliferate.
The properties of LPG mean that it has a high-energy content than some other, more traditional, types of fuel. It combust easily, making it a popular choice in various capacities, from domestic heating to certain industrial processes, but is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative fuel within the automotive industry.
