The transport´s decarbonisation has become one of the great environmental challenges we face currently. Aware of the importance of contributing to the sustainability of the transport of people and goods, motor industry´s companies and public administrations are promoting new forms of sustainable mobility that aim to reduce polluting emissions and improve the air quality of our cities.

One of them is the commitment to autogas, a mixture of butane and propane whose consumption has increased by 50% in the last decade, becoming one of the preferred fuels to replace oil in the long term. In fact, autogas already powers 27 million vehicles in the world, 15 of them in Europe, especially in Italy, Germany and Poland.

Talking about Spain, according to the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (ANFAC), along 2019 a total of 24,290 autogas vehicle registrations were reached, registering an increase of almost 5,000 units compared to 2018.

5 false myths

To improve even more their knowledge and stand up for their qualities, the experts at BeGas, a pioneering company in manufacturing 100% homologated autogas engines in Europe, analyse the main characteristics of these vehicles and the false myths surrounding them that have been established in society:

• Repowering of a model created for diesel is not feasible. It wasn’t until BeGas, after five years of research, showed that it was possible. BeGas´ solution, unique in the European market, makes possible to help trucks and city buses in their last years of life with an ecological engine. Thanks to the replacement of the diesel with its 100% autogas engine, the scrapping of the vehicle and more than 16,000 kg of new waste are avoided. In this way, it benefits the circular economy, in addition to reducing polluting emissions drastically. If you want more information click here.

• They involve a large financial outlay. The price is one more highlighted strength of autogas, since it ranges between 40% and 50% less than conventional fuels, which allows fleets to save up to 36% in fuel costs. In addition, repowering diesel vehicles with BeGas AVG imply significant additional savings. Compared with the cost of acquiring a new vehicle, this operation allows companies and institutions to save about 250,000 euros, if we are talking about a city bus, and about 160,000 euros in the case of an urban waste collection truck, making easier for local corporations to support the ecological transition with less budget.

• It is difficult to find supply points. At this time there are more than 700 service stations in Spain that supply autogas and, to implement more pumps for this fuel in facilities is very simple. The way in which it is refill is similar to the method of gasoline or diesel, so that, companies or transport departments of public administrations, will not have to invest large amounts in facilities or extra learning for their drivers, since they are used to the system.

• They hardly reduce polluting emissions. All vehicles powered by autogas have the DGT´s Eco label. In fact, they achieve lower CO2 emissions than most of the modern diesels. Furthermore, vehicles with BeGas engines reduce emissions of other polluting gases, such as NOx or suspended particles, by up to 90% and, also, contribute to the reduction of noise pollution in cities, as they achieve noise levels of a 50% lower than diesel vehicles.

• It is not a safe fuel. Autogas is not toxic or corrosive and, as it is a gas, it does not cause spillage. Vehicles powered by this fuel have the same quality standards as any other vehicle. In addition, it has the lowest flammability range, compared to gasoline and diesel. Therefore, autogas is as safe as the rest of fuels.