Propane, also known as LPG, is a clean-burning, gaseous fuel that is pressurized and stored as a liquid when used in vehicles. Propane burns more cleanly than gasoline and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 percent compared to gasoline on a life cycle basis.
Typically, propane produces up to 90% fewer carbon monoxide emissions and 50% fewer toxics than gasoline. This is a key reason why this fuel is often used to fuel equipment used in indoor applications such as forklifts.
Propane has had the largest market share of any vehicle alternative fuel in British Columbia. This has been due to a number of factors, such as:
- Propane has historically been cheaper than gasoline by about 40%
- There are thousands of auto-propane refueling locations across Canada
- The driving range for a propane fueled vehicle is only slightly less than gasoline
- There is no significant difference in power between propane and gasoline
- Gasoline engines that use propane can last longer and have fewer maintenance issues
- Many vehicles can be easily converted in the after-market to use propane
As vehicle manufacturers are no longer making dedicated propane fueled vehicles the market is being serviced through conversions of existing gasoline vehicles. Due to the cost of from $3000 - $4000 per conversion, vehicles that have a high usage factor such as taxis, delivery vans, etc. have been the prime market for propane. High usage enables the user to recapture this conversion cost through fuel savings over the life of the vehicle.
The BC Ministry of Transportation operates about 250 propane fueled vehicles in its fleet. Recently, UPS announced that it was expanding its propane fueled fleet in Canada.
A vehicle can be converted to run on propane alone, or to run on either propane or gasoline. Equipment to convert vehicles is readily available, as are the facilities to install and service them. BC companies that provide aftermarket conversions for propane are:
Some companies also offer incentives to convert to propane.
Calculate savings (pdf) from using propane.