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Greener and Cleaner
- Compared with petrol and diesel, LPG is the best environmental alternative
- LPG is a low carbon content fuel that can reduce your carbon footprint read more
- LPG produces fewer harmful emissions that impact on local air quality. read more
- Engine noise is low
- Less damage to soil and water in case of spills - LPG will quickly evaporate in the event of a fuel spill. Unlike petrol and diesel, there is no risk of ground or water contamination
Cheaper
- Savings of around 40% compared with petrol and over 20% compared with diesel on fuel costs read more on fuel savings
- Cheaper road tax for some vehicles read more
- Discounts on London Congestion Charges read more
- Discounts on some car parking schemes read more
- See how much money and CO2 emissions you can save by converting your vehicle to LPG autogas - click here for calculator
Reduce your carbon footprint by running on LPG
Independent Pan-European tests were undertaken in 2003 which demonstrated the following results:
- Petrol CO2 is 20.3% more than LPG
- Diesel CO2 is 1.8% more than LPG
The 2005 report by CONCAWE found a small CO2 advantage of LPG over diesel increasing to 10% by 2010 as a result of the worsening CO2 emissions of diesels as those engines struggle to meet Euro V emission standards.
Air quality, particularly in urban areas, is a continuing issue for the nation’s health.
Department of Health statistics show that particulates are responsible for thousands of advanced deaths and thousands of instances of illness; also NOx emissions are a major element of low-level ozone, which causes smog and can worsen existing asthma conditions click here for information on air quality.
Extensive independent tests showed that:
- One diesel vehicle emits 120 times the amount of fine particles as the equivalent LPG vehicle
- It takes 20 LPG vehicles to emit the same amount of NOx as one diesel vehicle.
The implementation of “Euro” emission limits is bringing about an improvement in the NOx and particulate emissions of new vehicles but this is only to a limited extent compared with LPG. Even Euro VI diesel vehicles will have many times more NOx emissions than those running on LPG.
LPG vehicle users can save around 40% on fuel costs compared with petrol, and over 20% compared with the equivalent diesel. A typical example of a popular car is the 2005 Vauxhall Vectra for which the figures are:
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Fuel Type
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Model details
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Euro Emission Level
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MPG *
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Fuel
Price **
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Cost per 1000 miles
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LPG
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122ps 1.8i
5 speed saloon
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IV
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29.4
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£2.64 per gal
58.1p per litre
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£89.79
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Diesel
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120ps 1.9cdti
6 speed saloon
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IV
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49.5
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£5.95 per gal
131.0p per litre
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£120.20
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Petrol
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122ps 1.8i
5 speed saloon
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IV
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38.6
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£5.34 per gal
117.5 p per litre
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£138.34
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* Source - Vehicle Certification Agency imperial combined mpg
**Source- Fleet News – 19/6/2008
Another way of looking at the massive savings by running on LPG autogas is by comparing the number of miles travelled for £10 for each fuel. The figures for the above example show:
The low price of LPG autogas is a result of the low level of fuel duty applied by the government. This government support is in recognition of LPG’s environmental benefits
In the 2009 Budget, Chancellor Alistair Darling signalled increased support for the LPG autogas industry by extending the commitment on the level of fuel duty when compared to petrol from three years to five years.
During this period the fuel duty differential with petrol will reduce by a maximum of 1p per litre per year which means that the price of LPG at the pumps is expected to remain around half that of petrol.
Mike Chapman, Autogas Manager of UKLPG said "This is really good news for motorists thinking of converting to LPG, as by extending the period during which they are assured of savings to 5 years, it makes a worthwhile investment, even in these difficult economic times"
For cars registered after 1st March 2001, car road tax, (Vehicle Excise Duty), is charged according to a vehicle's carbon dioxide and fuel type. CO2 figures are submitted by the vehicle manufacturer and recorded on the vehicle logbook. No changes after registration are permitted even if the car is subsequently converted to run on LPG.
However, for those cars registered after 2001and converted to run on LPG, owners who submit the appropriate documentation (e.g. LPGA LPG Conversion Certificate - click here for details) to the DVLA can request that the taxation class is changed to 'Alternative Fuel Car' and will then be eligible for a standard reduction on VED.
Have a look at the DVLA website www.dvla.gov.uk for more information on how vehicles are banded according to their emissions, and the VED rates applied.
Transport for London provides an Alternative Fuel Discount (100%) for certain vehicles including some LPG conversions. If you enter the zone most days, this move could save you up to £1600 per annum.
To be eligible, a vehicle and the specific conversion (make of conversion equipment) must have undergone government approved tests to demonstrate that the emissions are 40% below Euro IV levels.Such vehicles are then eligible to be included on the Energy Saving Trust "Powershift Register". The Register also includes the installers who are approved to fit that specific conversion.
To see if your LPG vehicle, with the specific conversion, is on the current Powershift Register click here . To check if your vehicle may have been on previous registers and thus still eligible, contact the Register Administrator, Energy Savings Trust on 020 7222 0101 - email: accreditation@est.org.uk.
If your car makes the grade, you need to register with Transport for London, www.tfl.gov.uk and pay an annual £10 fee to receive the discount.
A number of Councils in the UK operate incentive schemes for LPG vehicles using city centre car parks or residents' parking. These include:
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Municipal Parking
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Residents Parking
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Contact Details
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East Sussex County Council
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Hart District Council
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Manchester Green Badge Scheme
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Milton Keynes
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Sheffield
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London Borough of Barnet
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Carmarthenshire County Council
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Islington Council
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Westminster City Council
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London Borough of Richmond
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Haringay
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