Alternative Fuels to Rule the Indian Car Industry

Petrol and diesel are very much in the industry since the introduction of automobiles but now some better fuel options are being visualized by car manufacturers. Furthermore, the recent price hike in fuel prices and increasing awareness of eco-friendly automotives, have paved a wider way for alternative fuels like CNG and LPG.

Here is a basic understanding of the two alternative fuels that are widely being used in the Indian as well as the international car market. These fuels are gradually taking over petrol and diesel and are expected to rule the industry with their superior efficiency and environment friendly nature.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

LPG, also known as propane, is the gas produced during distillation of crude oil and is also known as petrol gas with 100% octane. Octane number actually defines the fuel’s resistance to knocking any car can run on high octane fuel without any kind of modification or problem.

These days many car manufacturers fit LPG kits in their car models to deliver a smoother, quicker, and cleaner running of their car models. The renowned Indian cars running successfully on LPG today are Hyundai Santro and Maruti Suzuki WagonR Duo (petrol and LPG).

Some of the benefits of using LPG as car fuel are:

· It gives a smoother and cleaner running.

· It is available at a much cheaper price and has lower service cost.

· LPG has the ability to extend the cruising range.

· Delivers enhanced power, acceleration, and cruise speed.

· High octane rating makes it easier to blend with air for combustion.

· It causes less damage to engine and engine components as compared to petrol.

The disadvantages of LPG are:

· It takes longer to start the engine during winter because of the low vapor pressure of propane.

· Low energy content lowers the driving range.

· A friendly LPG kit cannot be fitted in all car models.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

CNG is a fossil fuel that is made by compressing natural gas at standard atmospheric pressure to nearly about 1% of its actual volume. It is considered to be one of the most viable options against the traditional fuels like petrol and diesel.

Many cars in India today are attuned to this alternative fuel technology. Some of the most popular and successful car models are Hyundai Santro, Hyundai Accent, and Tata Indica.

Some of the key advantages of CNG are:

• CNG is almost one-third of the cost price of petrol.






• It is one of the cleanest fuels as carbon monoxide emissions is reduced by about 80-90% and the carbon dioxide by about 10%.






• The basic car engine need not be changed to convert gasoline engine to CNG.






• It is much safer as during any kind of leakage the gas escapes to the atmosphere.

Some of the drawbacks of CNG include:

• CNG kit occupies larger space in the boot.






• It reduces car performance to some extent.