Autogas is the name applied to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) when its used for the propulsion of road vehicles. There is actually very little new about vehicles powered by gas-some of the earliest stationary internal combusion engines were fuelled by gas. During World War II vehicles could be seen with a large box-shaped balloon on the roof containing coal gas. Fortunately technology has moved on and you no longer need the balloon on the car roof to take advantage of this alternative fuel. Today the gas is stored in liquid form in purpose built tanks. At room temperature and atmospheric pressure Autogas is in a gaseous state, it changes to liquid when it is subjected to pressure. This ability to turn into a liquid state at low pressures gives Autogas an advantage over natural gas which will only turn to liquid at extremely low temperatures. Therefore with Autogas, more fuel can be stored for the same weight and volume than with natural gas.

Autogas has an excellent safety record throughout the world, in storage , transportation and use. In road transport autogas is much safer to use than petrol. Autogas is stored in the vehicle, under pressure in liquid form in a specially designed tank. This tank being constructed from a thicker gauge steel than used in a petrol tank. In fact in crash testing an LPG tank proves to be far less likely to rupture. In fire tests , LPG tanks are less likely to explode than petrol tanks as the pressure relief valves protect them.

Yes, with an Autogas conversion you will save money as soon as you drive away. With the price of LPG being approximately 50% less than petrol or diesel.

No, typical road test figures for an LPG powered car would read as follows: Peugeot 406- Top Speed on Gas 117 mph , 119 mph on petrol. Acceleration 0-62 mph on gas 13.3 seconds and 12.8 on petrol.

Simply flick a switch on the dashboard and return imperceptibly and without ant effect on performance to petrol-converted vehicles will run on petrol or Autogas as they retain their original fuel tank and pipework.

No, on the contrary. As the fuel is a gas it mixes better with air than petrol and you should find you get far less wear on the engine and certain components when using Autogas due to the absence of acids and carbon deposits.

No, you do not have to adjust your driving style. Cold starting is not a problem. The engine performance is almost exactly the same as with petrol. There is no spilling and no possibility of theft or pilfering of the fuel. Engine noise is low and you ll even be driving in a more environmentally friendly manner.

Petrol engines that are suitable for lead-free fuel are suitable for using Autogas.

Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons mainly methane (CH4) a relatively unreactive hydrocarbon derived from fossil plant deposits and is produced either from gas wells or in conjunction with crude oil production. Natural gas as delivered through the pipeline system also contains hydrocarbons such as ethane and propane; and other gases such as nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, and water vapour. Natural gas is consumed in the residential, commercial, industrial, and utility markets. The interest for natural gas as an alternative fuel stems mainly from its clean burning qualities, its domestic resource base, and its commercial availability to end-users. Also known as methane, the main hydrocarbon present in natural gas, it is referred to as bio-gas when renewably produced from organic waste see separate section. Large-scale production availability for automotive use has yet to be established in the UK. Sold for storage on board the vehicle either in compressed gaseous form ("CNG" - primarily to fleet operators), or liquid (LNG) form, natural gas has some cost and emissions advantages compared to gasoline, but requires large pressurized cylinders on the vehicle and is more complex to refuel although LNG can exist at atmospheric pressure at 162ºC. Some CNG models have also been certified as "ultra-low emission vehicles" under stringent California emissions standards. There are 340,000 NG vehicles supported by 340 filling stations in Italy, 75,000 supported by 250 filling stations in Russia and several thousand such vehicles in Europe..

As an example, much natural gas consumed in the United States is domestically produced from reservoirs containing natural gas liquids and other materials, which are processed to separate the gas from petroleum liquids and to remove contaminants. Natural gas is also transported in liquefied form by ship from large gas fields.

The clean burning fuel (being predominantly methane in composition such that most HC emissions are methane) has significant environmental and greenhouse gas emissions benefits. Overall CO2 emissions are generally on a par with diesel engines. Natural gas is neither corrosive nor toxic, its ignition temperature is high, it is lighter than air, and it has a narrow flammability range, making it an inherently safe fuel compared to other fuel sources. Natural gas cannot contaminate soil or water. It will always rise to the atmosphere out of doors, unlike other fuels, which are heavier than air and can pool either as a liquid or a vapour, upon the ground or down drains. Natural gas contains a distinctive odorant (mercaptan) which allows natural gas to be detected at 0.5% concentration in air, well below levels which can cause drowsiness due to inhalation and well below the weakest concentration which can support combustion. Recent large-scale trials of natural gas vehicles in four cities in Germany showed that they offer a viable alternative to diesel for high-mileage captive fleet applications e.g. buses, taxis, and vans, according to UBA. About 3,300 CNG vehicles (some adapted) were acquired in Hanover, Augsburg, and two other urban areas. However, whilst CNG buses could meet the latest Euro IV (2005) emissions legislation, retrofitted CNG cars could fail Euro IV HC limits which the equivalent gasoline car would easily meet.

Germany only has currently 2/3 of the 300 filling stations estimated to provide nationwide coverage. In the familiar argument, the fuel industry blames lack of demand and cost for not expanding the fuel supply infrastructure and the vehicle manufacturers say that lack of infrastructure is restricting CNG car demand. To provide a high vehicle mileage range from one tankful, the low energy gas must be liquefied at 162ºC or highly pressurised with a resultant expenditure of energy that reduces the CO2 benefits The composition of natural gas can vary significantly from region to region, with methane content ranging from less than 70% to over 95%. These extremes mean that different calibrations may be necessary for different regions or that more complex adaptive systems may be required. Methane is itself a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential some 32 or 64 times (depending on the measurement time basis) that of CO2. This therefore reduces, but does not eliminate, the overall benefits in terms of reduced global warming potential arising from the use of natural gas. Many countries around the world are introducing requirements or incentives to promote CNG vehicles. Currently, Argentina has 686,496 NG vehicles followed by Italy with 370,000, CIS with 210,000, Pakistan 200,000, USA 102,430. Germany has 12,000, Japan 8,884 such vehicles. The UK has 750. (source NGVA)