FAQ about LPG Installations

Will I lose my warranty if I install an LPG system?

No, you will retain the legal 2-year warranty. The warranty cannot be denied solely because you installed an LPG system. Only if there is a direct link between a defect and the LPG installation could the warranty be affected.

Is an LPG system compatible with engine tuning?

We recommend exercising caution when combining engine tuning with an LPG system. The reaction of the LPG system to a tuned engine is unpredictable. It may be necessary to revert the tuning to the original settings after installing LPG.

Is there any power loss when driving on LPG?

No, there is no noticeable power loss when driving on LPG. You will experience the same performance as when driving on gasoline.

Is it still cost-effective to drive on LPG?

LPG is a fuel that is becoming increasingly popular among drivers. It is an alternative to petrol and diesel and is increasingly seen as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option. Here are some advantages of LPG installations:

  1. Low fuel costs: The main reason why many people switch to LPG is because of the low fuel costs. LPG is generally cheaper than petrol and diesel and can therefore provide significant savings in the long term.
  2. Environmentally friendly: LPG is a clean fuel and emits fewer harmful substances than petrol and diesel. This makes it better for the environment and can contribute to cleaner air and better air quality.
  3. Higher energy efficiency: LPG has higher energy efficiency than petrol and diesel, which means that more kilometers can be covered with the same amount of fuel.
  4. Longer engine lifespan: LPG has a higher octane value than petrol, which provides better combustion in the engine. This can extend the engine’s lifespan and reduce maintenance costs.
  5. Wide availability of filling stations: There are increasingly more filling stations where LPG is available, making the use of LPG more accessible.
  6. Meets strict safety standards: LPG installations meet strict safety standards and are regularly inspected to ensure that they remain safe and reliable.

In short, LPG is still a cost-effective and environmentally friendly fuel option. It can result in lower fuel costs, better air quality, and a longer engine lifespan. With a growing network of LPG filling stations and safe LPG installations, it may be worth considering switching to LPG.

Request an online quote here for an LPG installation in your car.

Price comparison between LPG, petrol, and CNG.

Calculation for a vehicle with a petrol engine that consumes 8 liters per 100 km.

To make a cost comparison for a car that consumes 8 liters of petrol per 100 km, we need to calculate the total fuel costs per 100 km for each of the three fuels: petrol, LPG, and CNG.

For petrol, the price is 1.845 euros per liter. To calculate the cost per 100 km, we multiply the consumption per 100 km (8 liters) by the price per liter (1.845 euros):

8 liters x 1.845 euros/liter = 14.76 euros per 100 km.

For LPG, you consume 15% more than on petrol, so the consumption per 100 km will be 1.15 x 8 liters = 9.2 liters. The price of LPG is 0.7140 euros per liter. So the cost per 100 km for LPG is:

9.2 liters x 0.7140 euros/liter = 6.5808 euros per 100 km.

For CNG, you consume 40% less than on petrol, so the consumption per 100 km is 0.6 x 8 liters = 4.8 kg. The price of CNG is 1.935 euros per kg. So the cost per 100 km for CNG is:

4.8 kg x 1.935 euros/kg = 9.288 euros per 100 km.

So the total fuel costs per 100 km are:

  • Petrol: 14.76 euros
  • CNG: 9.288 euros
  • LPG: 6.5808 euros

Based on this calculation, LPG is the most cost-effective option for this car.

For the prices in the calculation, I took into account the maximum prices of gasoline and LPG on the date of 05/04/2023, for CNG I used the price of DATS24 in Eeklo on 05/04/2023. The calculation does not take into account a portion of gasoline consumption during driving on gas.

LPG installation Porsche – for which models can it?

Porsche 911

With a Porsche 911, the older models are in principle possible with multipoint injection. However, there is only room for a tank on the back seat. So the back seat disappears in that case. The newer models (from 2007) are equipped with a direct injection engine and cannot be equipped with an LPG installation.

Porsche Cayenne

The Porsche Cayenne is most popular for LPG or CNG.

The first model of the Porsche Cayenne is a multipoint injection. Both LPG and CNG are possible for this model. This Cayenne was made until 2007.

The newer model allows the following motorizations. Please note, it should be the same engine. If in doubt, please contact us in advance, before purchasing the car.

Other models

For other models such as the Porsche Panamera, Porsche Macan, Porsche Cayman…

If it is an older model made for 2007, it is usually possible to convert the engine but we have to see if there is room for the LPG tank.

These are newer models with direct injection, how to take into account that only the engineizations as in the list of the Porsche Cayenne (above) can be converted to LPG. Other motorizations with a direct injection engine are therefore not possible. In addition, it is also necessary to see if there is room for the LPG tank. Often this will

Taxes for LPG in Flanders

It may sound strange, but for vehicles equipped with an LPG installation, a discount is first given, and then an additional tax is added.

Discount on the BIV (tax the first time when you start driving your car)

If your car drives on LPG, you will receive a significant reduction on the BIV (in some cases more than 50 percent off). You can calculate the BIV on the following link: https://belastingen.fenb.be/ui/public/vkb/simulatie

In the simulation it is not immediately noticeable that you get a discount by LPG, because only the net tax is mentioned (with the discount deducted). To know the right discount, it is best to enter the same vehicle with the fuel “petrol”. That’s how you see the difference.

The discount is not limited in amount, which can increase the benefit to more than 5000 euros. So it’s definitely worth calculating.

Reduction of traffic tax

For each passenger car with LPG there is a reduction in the traffic tax of 107.88 euros (from 01/01/2019).

Additional traffic tax

An additional traffic tax must be paid for passenger cars. The amount is calculated based on the power of your vehicle’s engine.

Belastbaar fiscaal vermogenBedrag van de belasting
Up to 7 HP89.16 euros
From 8 to 13 HP148.68 euros
More than 13 HP208.20 euros

For a small engine up to 7 tax HP you will therefore have a net discount on the traffic tax (107.88-89.16 euros). So at 7 HP you get a net 18.72 euro discount. For a car of 8 to 13 HP you pay an extra 40.80 euros and for a car with more than 13 HP you pay net 100.32 extra.

No additional LPG tax should be paid for light freight and there is no reduction.

Do I lose space in my trunk with LPG?

The time when an LPG tank took a lot of space is far behind us. For many cars, modern space-saving toroidal tanks are now available. This toroidal tank is mounted in the place of the spare wheel. The spare wheel itself can be mounted (for example in a station wagon) standing against the side wall of the luggage compartment. If the car is equipped with a small spare wheel (home comer) then this can often be mounted on the toroidal tank, or for example against the back wall in the back seat. However, you can also omit the spare wheel. In this case, you arm yourself against a flat tire with a special spray can (see below), which temporarily close a flat tire. This allows you to continue at a slower speed, until you have the opportunity to have the tire replaced. Other space-saving possibilities of installation are tanks which are mounted under the car.

A spare wheel in the car is not required by law.

Toroidal tank
The toroidal tank is a round tank that is mounted on the spot of the spare wheel, in the car in the cockpit of the spare wheel or under the car. As a result, it is not visible and, very importantly, it does not take up a luggage compartment. If you are going on holiday, you can just take all your bags with you. Two solutions are possible for your spare tyre:

1. The tire can be repaired by a special spray can with which the flat tire is temporarily closed. As with a home bringer, you can then drive at a lower speed until you have the opportunity to (have) the tire replaced or repaired.

2. In a number of cases, a ‘home bowl’ can be attached to the ring tank or hung under the car via a bracket. So you ride on LPG and always have a spare wheel with you!

Can I also refuel LPG abroad?

LPG abroad is on the rise. In most countries of Europe, LPG is sufficiently available. If you cannot reach an LPG petrol station abroad in a timely manner, then nothing is wrong. After all, a car on LPG can also run on petrol without any problems!

Met de handige app van Landi Renzo vindt u gemakkelijk een LPG-tankstation in uw buurt. Voor LPG tankstations in België en Frankrijk kan ik je de website carbu.com aanraden. Hier kan je ook de prijzen raadplegen van de verschillende LPG tankstations.

Map showing the number of LPG petrol stations in Europe. Click on the photo for a large map. Source: https://www.liquidgaseurope.eu/

Don’t forget the fill nipples!

Do you think that you bring filling nipples during a trip abroad! There are 4 different filling connections in Europe, these vary from country to country.

Pure propane refueling

LPG is a mixture of propane and butane. The boiling point of butane (or the point at which liquid is converted to gas) is around freezing. For a motor home or air balone, butane is not usable at colder temperatures. For a car, this is not a problem because the gas is taken in liquid.

At the following petrol stations you can refuel pure propane:

NamePlacePhone.
The Creator‘t Zand, NL-4576 Koewacht31(0)11/436.17.02
Van De PutteCraft Street 7, 9900 Eeklo09/377.01.86
by appointment*
PractigasBerkendreef 9, 3910 Neerpelt011/64.10.61
www.practigas.be
Motorhomes KingSander De Vosstraat 141, 2500 Lier03/482.38.67 or 03/422.55.04
Friday only between 1pm-5pm*
MultigasIndustrial Park 25 A, 3300 Tens016/81.04.75
MacogasStokstraat 30, 9770 Kruishoutem09/383.65.15
Mochten bepaalde adressen niet meer kloppen, graag een seintje aan ives@vanmeenen.com.

If you go on winter sports or to colder destinations it is useful to refuel LPG on site for your mobile home, caravan or camper. In Norway you fill up out 100 percent pure propane throughout the year. If, on the other hand, you go to Southern destinations such as Spain, the share of butane will be higher in the mixture of LPG.

LPG as an alternative to diesel?

Motorists who travel relatively many kilometers will wonder if they will opt for LPG or diesel when buying another car. Things like the (mileage) price and performance play an important role in this. But the pollution of our environment is also an important consideration when choosing between different fuels.

Cost

In most cases, the tipping point of LPG compared to petrol is considerably lower than diesel compared to petrol. In addition, lpg savings are higher in most cases. The purchase price of a car with an LPG installation is also lower than the price of the comparable diesel version. Similarly, we mean here: an LPG and a diesel engine that deliver similar performance.

‘More economical’ is not always ‘cheaper’

The fact is that a diesel engine consumes less fuel than an engine running on LPG. This is because a liter of diesel oil of all types of fuel contains the most energy. However, the higher consumption of LPG is more than made up for by the significantly lower fuel price of LPG!

Performance and environment

The days when diesels were really slow are behind us. Modern diesel engines provide more power than we used to, they are also quieter and pollute less than in the past. However, even the most modern diesels still provide less power per litre of cylinder capacity than engines on LPG. This means in practice that, for the same performance as an LPG engine, you must have a diesel engine that has a much larger cylinder capacity. A diesel engine with the same engine capacity as an LPG engine delivers lower performance. As for exhaust gases: LPG is still the least polluting fuel!

Other differences

No separate tank needs to be built into a diesel car. However, thanks to the modern installation techniques of LPG installations, such as the toroidal tank in the recess for the spare wheel and substructure, the downside is that driving on LPG costs a lot of luggage space in the past! For each model passenger car that comes on the market, there is a choice of several petrol engines. The supply for diesel engines is a lot smaller. Some cars don’t even come with a diesel engine at all. Special versions, such as coupes, convertibles, or models with an automatic gearbox, are often not available with diesel engines. Those who opt for LPG therefore have a greater choice of the range of models.