Propane: The Clear Choice For Alternative Motor Fuel
Rising gasoline and diesel prices have motivated more and more companies, municipalities, individuals to look for viable alternative motor fuel options. Propane's low per-gallon cost, nearly identical miles-per-gallon performance, and its pre-existing supply infrastructure poise this much cleaner-burning fuel as the best option for those seeking an economical alternative to gasoline. Fixed-base fleets like school bus, taxi cab and police vehicle fleets are especially well-suited for conversion to propane. Here are some of the best reasons to consider propane as your alternative fuel of choice:
- Cost Savings
- Studies show that, depending on the type of vehicles and applications, users can achieve cost savings of up to 40% over using gasoline
- These savings are partially due to federal and state tax credits for using propane as a motor fuel
- Less Maintenance
- Propane's higher octaine burns cleaner and results in more hours and running-time between maintenance stops
- No carbon buildup means much less wear and less maintenance on oil, oil filters, spark plugs, carburetors, and engines in general
- Environmentally Friendly
- Using propane instead of gasoline reduces carbon monoxide emissions by as much as 60%, carbon dioxide emissions by around 12%, and nitric oxide emissions by around 20% (source)
- Using propane instead of gasoline cuts emissions of toxins such as benzene and toluene by as much as 96% (source)
- Drastically reduces particulate emissions, and virtually eliminates black smoke from exhaust of diesel engines
- Reduce Dependency On Foreign Oil
- 90% of propane we use is produced domestically
- Well-established supply infrastructure (click here to find refueling stations in your area)
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Propane can support a wide range of applications and economically and efficiently fuel many types of vehicles and combustion engines. Propane is recognized by Clean Cities as an alternative green energy and has been approved as such by the Clean Air Act and Energy Policy Act. It is incredibly clean-burning, and as a motor fuel it provides substantial cost savings while drastically cutting smog-forming and toxic emissions. Applications of propane as a motor fuel include:
Taxi, Police & Municipal Fleet Vehicles
Taxi cab, police, and municipal fleet vehicles are typically characterized by high mileage coupled with a limited driving range (most stay in relatively close proximity to a home base, or ‘fixed’ base). This combination makes these vehicles ideal for conversion to propane. For a good example, see the case study below detailing the Las Vegas, Nevada taxi cab fleet.
School Buses & Transit Buses
Busses are heavy fuel users that can capitalize on the cost-savings of and enormous enviornmental benefits of using propane as a fuel.
"The propane in the bus is a liquid injections system, so it's more efficient, it's cleaner, and very economical. Some of the school districts that are operating on propane on their school buses pay about $1.25 a gallon," said Curtis Donaldson, President of the Clean Fuel U.S.A. (source)
Lawn Care Equipment
According to the EPA, one gas-powered mower pollutes as much in one hour as an automobile driven for 350 miles. Nearly 10% of pollution in the US comes from lawn care equipment - each of the gas-fueled mowers we use in our homes pollutes as much as 40 automobiles. Propane- powered mowers offer up to a 90% reduction in smog and a 60% reduction in toxic emissions!
Lawn and garden equipment users inadvertently add to the problem by spilling 17 million gallons of fuel while refueling their equipment. That is more than what was spilled in the Exxon Valdez accident in the Gulf of Alaska.
Click here to see a brief video titled 'Mowing With Propane' about propane-powered commerical lawn care equipment.
Resort & Golf Course Applications
Small utility vehicles can run on propane, drastically reducing harmful and bothersome emissions. Propane-powered golf carts are much cleaner than gas-powered models, and require far less maintenance while also providing a longer engine life. Furthermore, the problem of gas spillage and pilferage is eliminated!
Case Studies
More Details on Propane as a Motor Fuel
Zion National Park Mass Transit
