The focus of the green car world may be on electrification, but don’t overlook the rise of LPG vehicles - according to forecasts, their numbers will expand in the coming years, albeit at a limited rate.
Pike Research suggests that the number of LPG vehicles will rise to reach 22.6million worldwide by 2020.
Its report, entitled Propane Autogas Vehicles, focuses on LPG conversion vehicles as the majority of LPG vehicles are conversions and not handled by original equipment manufacturers.
Its annual conversion forecast indicated there are around one million LPG vehicles in the market in 2012 – which will rise to 1.4million in 2020. Most regions will have limited growth but the Middle East and Africa regions will enjoy an annual growth rate of around 7.6 per cent. In North America, growth is also expected to exceed seven per cent.
David Alexander, the senior research analyst for Pike, commented that the LPG market is in a “classic chicken and egg scenario”. He believes that the key to market growth is availability and fuel suppliers have generally taken the view that there is no need to grow the infrastructure if not many vehicles are equipped to use the fuel. As such, he believes some form of incentive will be needed for LPG vehicle numbers to really advance.
Paul is a freelance writer with a background in everything from motoring to finance; and holidays to women's undergarments he just writes about them, honestly! He has now sadly crept into his early 30s and seems to have forgotten everything learned at school Still, he's a green car fanatic and isn't that what counts?
Alex Kovnat
> " ..... As such, he believes some
> form of incentive will be needed
> for LPG vehicle numbers to really
> advance."
Incentive? Try a carbon tax on all fossil fuels. The one or ones with lower carbon footprint, will then be economically favored over those with a larger footprint.
In addition, higher annual registration fees should be charged for vehicles with higher particulate emissions. This would incentivize schools (for example) to purchase school buses powered by compressed natural gas or liquid propane injection engines instead of Diesel engines, which have higher particulate emissions.
October 15, 2012