Here’s the real story behind propane cars
There are other solutions to electric vehicles and propane is one of them.
Propane cars, or cars that run on gasoline, currently only contain around 1% of the world’s transportation fuel after being touted as a potential solution to the growing emissions problem.
It almost seems unbelievable that something that has shown so much promise has been largely ignored by the developed world, leaving it only as a cheap alternative in some developing countries (and Australia). It is certainly not the answer to all of our problems, but it should very well be a bigger part of the multifaceted energy solution needed to reduce global emissions. Considering how low emissions are with a fairly straightforward conversion, this seems like a missed opportunity for no good reason.
The advantages of propane
The main advantage of propane is the cleanliness of its combustion, unlike diesel and gasoline, almost no carbon deposits remain in an engine running on propane. This is because most automotive propane / gasoline has an octane rating of 100, and in some cases higher.
It therefore reduces particulate matter by up to 99%, a smaller but still relevant pollutant that affects diesel cars more negatively. It has a much greater advantage in terms of NOx emissions, reducing them by up to 50% compared to diesel vehicles. Converting a gasoline car to propane is fairly straightforward, but the availability, quality, and prices of these kits vary wildly. Typically, however, you could hypothetically recoup your expenses in as little as 10,000 miles in fuel savings, not to mention the additional environmental benefits.
The disadvantages of propane
Like all alternative fuels, there are obvious drawbacks. In the case of propane, that’s already a big part of the real emissions problem and trying to make that part of the solution seems weird.
It is a by-product of the process of refining oil and gas to make gasoline, although natural gas is a readily available alternative to propane, it is also still a fossil fuel. Another big downside to its use is the lack of infrastructure, with only a limited number of gas stations offering it at the pump, it is still not widely used, and although there are big advantages to it. of particulate matter and NOx emissions, the big carbon problem is only reduced by a fairly small 15%. If you buy the safest and most expensive kit, it will also take a lot longer to recoup the money in fuel savings, so without other tax incentives (which probably never will come) it won’t pay off in the end. used in a real financial way. , although the environmental benefits are obvious. Safety was a big concern in the early years, but with more advanced quick-release nozzles and well-constructed tanks, it’s no less safe than a regular gas tank.
No silver bullet
Everyone is betting big on electric vehicles, it is without a doubt the future but it should not be touted as the one and only solution as so many politicians around the world would have you believe.
The truth is, there is no simple solution to the great emissions mess we have gotten ourselves into, it is a complex, multi-faceted plan that needs to be phased in more strategically. This is something we need to make our own because most politicians will gladly sell their souls to the highest bidder in the blink of an eye, currently the oil and gas industry is by far the highest bidder and ultimately leaving it to them will be us. lead to ourselves. destruction. Using one of their products as part of the solution might seem counterintuitive, but it’s just a stepping stone to a brighter future, as fuel cell technology still has a way to go. battery powered EVs have. Fuel cell vehicles are expected to enter the next vehicle cycle, but a viable solution right now is to move more diesel and gas powered vehicles to gasoline or other alternative fuels, allowing to save precious time for the maturation of greener and cleaner technology.
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