For auto-LPG users, it’s all about cost per kilometer

Longtime auto-LPG user Luigi Nunez of Beer Below Zero CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

When you think of LPG-powered cars, what could readily come to mind may be a rickety taxi that reeks of old upholstery, and a coughing taxi driver apologizing for the smell of LPG leaking from the fuel line of a slipshod installed LPG system. And then you might come to the conclusion that the fuel belongs solely in the kitchen.

But the global reality is far from what you think. In Japan, 90 percent of taxis run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In Europe, LPG is the fuel of choice of royalty. In 1998, The New York Times reported that England’s Queen Elizabeth’s four cars, including her Rolls-Royce, were installed with LPG conversion kits. An Associated Press archive video clip shows the Queen unveiling the converted Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, Daimler Limousine, Rover 400 and the London Metrocab cars in London. The clip also showed Buckingham Palace having its own LPG pump.

In the Philippines, a growing number of motorists belonging to the higher economic classes are getting their cars’ fuel systems converted to LPG. Among them are known personalities, including former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin “Boying” C. Remulla (who learned about the benefits of using LPG from youngest brother Gilbert, who owns an LPG-powered 2002 Chevrolet Suburban), Beer Below Zero president Luigi Nunez, Ilog Maria owner Joel Magsaysay and 10-time Philippine car rally champion Vip Isada, whose son Ivan—a 2007 rally champion—races the family’s LPG-powered Honda City. Isada chuckles that using LPG has become his family’s way of going “cheap racing” due to the relatively lower cost of LPG fuel per liter versus gasoline.

Former House Deputy Speaker Boying Remulla and family use four LPG vehicles, including this 2007 3.5L Toyota Camry. PHOTO: TRSALAZAR

LPG as vehicle fuel costs almost half the price of high-octane fuel.

“LPG will always be cheaper than gasoline simply because it is more abundant naturally. Crude (oil) has to be processed into gasoline. Second, LPG is suited to big American cars with large engines,” says Magsaysay, who explains to Inquirer Motoring the reason his two vehicles, a 1999 Ford Expedition and a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, were converted to run on LPG fuels.

Magsaysay is known to friends and family as a maverick. For his other vehicles and generator set that run on diesel, he uses biodiesel. The family’s oldest jeep runs on biodiesel and waste vegetable oil, which he sources from fast-food fryers. His diesel-powered 1983 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40 3-liter 4WD is also powered by biodiesel, which he sources from biofuel advocate Ricky Cuenca.

“For errands to the town or nearby places, I use my diesel-powered vehicles. But for farther places, I use the LPG-powered American cars. They are safer,” quipped Magsaysay.

Joel Magsaysay has two LPG-fitted vehicles, including this 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The 1983 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40 (not LPG-fitted) behind him uses biodiesel and waste vegetable oil from fast-food fryers as auxiliary fuel. Contributed photo

He adds: “I have studied the LPG system, and I’m an early adopter of the technology. The LPG system has been used in Italy for about 75 years. It is already tested.”

He observed that engines running on LPG “run quieter and smoother.” His wish: “That there should be more LPG stations, especially in tourist areas like Tagaytay.”

As of April 2013, the Department of Energy has listed 218 LPG stations nationwide: Nine in Luzon, 45 in the Visayas region, 27 in Mindanao and 137 in Metro Manila.

Remulla does the math

Like Magsaysay, Remulla, a lawyer-politician who has been elected to three terms representing the third district of Cavite, thinks LPG-fitted vehicles are more suited to the financial realities besetting the ordinary Filipino motorist.

Remulla, who had four of his vehicles fitted at GoLPG, showed  Inquirer Motoring his family’s 2003 Mitsubishi Space Gear (2.4-liter), 2003 Honda Accord (2-liter),  2004 8-cylinder Chevrolet Tahoe and  2007 3.5-liter Toyota Camry.

“A simple mathematical computation can help clarify the logic of using LPG. The Tahoe, an 8-cylinder gasoline engine, can run up to 320 kilometers on a full tank of LPG, good enough for a trip to Baguio, on just less than P5 per kilometer. A full tank of 100-octane gasoline can cost P4,000 for the same trip to Baguio on the Tahoe. The choice becomes very clear.”

Remulla poses with one of his four LPG-powered vehicles, a 2004 8-cylinder Chevrolet Tahoe. PHOTO: TRSALAZAR

But why compare LPG to high-octane gasoline? Remulla replies, “LPG can have an octane rating of up to 107, while the highest octane gasoline now commercially available is only 100. That means LPG fuel burns more efficiently, cleanly and quietly.”

Remulla, a frugal but meticulous consumer judging from the appliances and gadgets he uses in his house, explains the further advantage of using LPG-fitted vehicles: “I believe that engine oil can last longer in LPG-powered engines, for the simple reason that they are cleaner and contain no harmful chemicals like sulfur.”

Remulla declares, “If car distributors include LPG-installed vehicles with a smaller gasoline tank as an option, I will recommend it.”

Korean kits give bad name

Remulla observed, “If a reputable Italian LPG conversion kit was used in all taxis, we will have no problem with LPG’s reputation in this country. But old, totally depreciated units are the ones giving LPG a bad name as they use second-hand conversion kits from Korea, which are equivalent to junk. They leak, are ill-maintained and belong to the recycling centers.”

Motorsports renaissance man Ivan—here with 10-time car rally champ dad Vip—uses the LPG-fitted 2010 Honda City 1.3-liter during last Sunday’s slalom race at the Riverbanks in Marikina. PHOTO: TRSALAZAR

Remulla adds that the complaints about LPG are “all anecdotal” and “can be avoided by phasing out all taxis that are more than eight years old.”

“It’s the cars with carburetors that don’t perform well, as LPG is a gas that can enter the passenger compartment through the air-conditioning system. Gasoline fumes can enter too, as with CO2 and other pollutants. With the Italian kits, LPG is directly injected to the intake manifold and has no chance of leaking.”

Racing LPG

Ten-time national car rally champion Vip Isada and his family use five cars, three of these are fitted with LPG: a 2007 Honda Civic 1.8, a 2002 Honda CRV 2.0 4X2 and a 2010 Honda City 1.3-liter.

Isada has been using LPG-powered vehicles for the past nine years, stressing that he is a “very satisfied” user.

“I did not feel any loss of power or any problem with my engine. I will also be converting all my other cars when their manufacturer warranties are already finished.”

Inquirer Motoring met with Vip and son Ivan at the Riverbanks in Marikina, where Ivan was competing in a slalom using the family’s LPG-fitted City. Ivan, who was visibly happy with the City’s performance during the slalom race, is a 2007 rally champion, an autocross, rallycross and slalom driver, and a motorsports teacher at UP Diliman. He has raced the City for two years, the past year with the LPG system installed, for eight races.

“I was looking for an alternative fuel when the prices of gasoline went up, and I found out that LPG would be the most practical alternative. It’s cheap and environment friendly and almost maintenance-free.”

The Civic, which Ivan also uses, runs about 60 km a day, the CRV about 200 km a week and the City, which Vip uses daily, about 180 km every day.

“I work in Laguna and I live in Quezon City. I get about 17 km per liter on my City on highway driving. On combined city and highway, I make 14 kpl,” says Vip.

LPG over diesel

Vip says he would prefer using LPG over diesel, “because it’s cheap and good for the environment.”

“The new diesel technology is very fuel-efficient, but in terms of fuel savings, LPG will still be ahead. In terms of emission, LPG is a lot better than the quality of diesel that we have.”

Vip adds: “I did not have any apprehensions to have LPG installed, despite the negative publicity, because the taxis that were fitted with LPG in the first place were carbureted. With carbureted engines, there will always be that risk of leaking LPG,” Vip opines.

Vip wants to see more car owners shift to LPG use, and “realize the savings in terms of cost and for them to help the environment.”

“If they shift to LPG, they will do wonders to their pockets and to Mother Earth,” adds Vip. He says that many of his friends who have tried his LPG vehicles were impressed enough to have their own cars converted to LPG.

No other fuel

Beer Below Zero president Luigi Nunez has been using LPG-fitted vehicles for the past six years. Five of his vehicles are fitted with LPG systems: two 2002 Ford Expeditions, a 2004 Ford Expedition, a 2000 Ford F150, and an L300 Mitsubishi Versa Van.

“Cost efficiency, and in support of the Clean Air Act” are Nunez’s simple reasons for having his vehicles installed with LPG kits.

For someone who racks up a daily trip distance of 300 km, using LPG has certainly paid off.

Nunez adds that he had no hesitations with using LPG as fuel. “I made sure the LPG tanks were located outside the vehicle, and I made sure that the LPG brand was reputable and credible.”

He laments, though, the “very limited LPG stations catering to private vehicles.” He also wishes for stricter regulations on LPG installation.

He reiterated that installation costs with reputable LPG installers “are not cheap,” but then the maintenance becomes “inexpensive.”

GoLPG, which had converted the vehicles of Remulla, Magsaysay, Isada and Nunez, is a partner of the Autohub Group (with distributorships including Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila, Mini Cooper Philippines, Piaggio Ape Commercial Vehicles, V-Kool Automotive Films, and various Ford, Nissan, Mazda and Hyundai dealerships). GoLPG’s main office is located at E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City. It carries the Italian LPG-conversion kits Lovato and Tartarini. Conversion for fuel-injected cars range from P40,000 to P60,000; for SUVs and vans, P60,000 to P80,000.

GoLPG president Cielo Regino Fregil says the company also converts carbureted engines to LPG, but that “there is power loss experienced with carbureted engines when converted to LPG use.”