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Propane for your car?

Definitely! For the past 25 years the propane industry has been active in the automotive industry, creating over 850 propane conversion centers and thereby establishing propane as the leader in the alternative fuel market.

More importantly, there are more than 5,000 fueling stations (in Canada) to provide propane users comparable convenience when filling-up as is available to gasoline users.

Propane conversions can be fitted to all types of vehicles, but have the most significant impact on high mileage vehicles. The new and more sophisticated fuel-management systems will improve performance, lower emissions levels and yield even better fuel-economy.

Get 500 litres of free propane!

About Propane

The supply of propane to the engine is controlled by a regulator or vapourizer which converts the liquid propane to a gaseous form. The gas is then fed to an air, fuel mixer located close to the intake manifold where it is metered and mixed with filtered air before being drawn into the combustion chambers. As the fuel, air mixture is completely gaseous, the cold start problems associated with liquid fuel are eliminated.

On a per unit of weight basis, liquid propane contains about five percent more energy than gasoline; however, the density is 30% less. The net result is that a litre of propane (lighter) contains about 28% less energy than a litre of gasoline. Propane has an octane rating of 110 and all propane sold in Canada is classified HD 5, (less than 5% other gases, such as butane & methane).

With propane, a greater quantity is required to travel the same distance. But because of its gaseous form, your engine runs more efficiently which helps offset the extra propane consumed. The fact that propane is introduced to the combustion chamber as a vapour, a vehicle may actually run better on propane than on gasoline in low-speed, light-throttle conditions, especially when cold.

The greatest environmental benefit comes from reduced evaporative losses, including those which occur during refueling. This is because the propane fuel system is effectively sealed. As well, the inherent tendency to form ground-level ozone is half that of gasoline and propane does not contain lead or sulfur which contribute to acid rain.

Summary

• Vehicles driven more than 25,000 km per year, or which spend time idling (such as taxies, police cars, busses, etc.) will operate cheaper on propane than on regular gasoline.
  
  
• Tests conducted by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency show that properly tuned propane engines produce 30% to 90% less carbon monoxide than properly tuned gasoline engines.
  
  
• Propane emits about 50% fewer toxins and other smog-producing emissions than gasoline.
  
  
• Propane is an approved alternative fuel listed in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
  
  
• The costs of regulating gasoline and diesel emissions, for environmental reasons, will likely increase the cost of these fuels.
  
  
• Propane tanks, built to superior standards, may be safer in an accident and less prone to leakage.
  
  
• There are now more than 5,000 public and 2,000 private propane refueling stations in the country. As well, the number of propane outlets is rising, contributing to more convenient refueling.
  
  
• Automobiles can be converted to run on both propane and gasoline, ensuring peace of mind when driving on long trips, or in remote areas.
  
  
• Propane is 25% to 30% less expensive than gasoline in most parts of the country.
  
  
• There is no significant difference in performance between propane and gasoline (propane may result in a power loss of up to 7%).
  
  
• Automobile manufactures are now producing propane powered vehicles.
  
  
• You can recover the cost of converting your automobile to propane within one year.
  
  
• Conversions to propane can be done in a day, allowing for minimal down time.
  
  
• Engines using propane can last two to three times longer than a gasoline engine.
  
  

Get 500 litres of free propane!

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