While Americans debate the pros and cons of hybrid gas/electric vehicles, and wait for hydrogen powered cars, much of the world has already switched to an environmentally friendly fuel: Liquefied Petroleum Gas, or propane. LPG can be used as a clean burning alternative fuel for environmentally friendly cars, since it is the most readily available alternative fuel source. Since the infrastructure for fueling already exists, LPG may be used on its own or in combination with a gasoline system. Driving a LPG vehicle is easy, safe, and much cheaper than gas or diesel. Recent studies have shown that out of the three fuels, LPG is the best environmental alternative.

With the growing threat of Global warming, LPG is one of the cleanest vehicle fuels available. LPG produces far less carbon dioxide than gasoline and fewer particulates and nitrogen oxides than diesel. In environmental terms, use of LPG resulted in a 20%saving on CO2 over petrol and a 1.8% saving compared with diesel. On urban roads, on average, just one diesel vehicle emits the same fine particles as 120 LPG vehicles and the same NOX as 20 LPG vehicles. LPG vehicles can help offset the considerable social costs of pollution damage to health and buildings. You get a quieter ride with LPG; noise levels are 50% less than with clattering diesel engines. Drivers can save up to 40% off your fuel bill. Due to cuts in fuel taxes in some countries like the UK, LPG retails for approximately half the price of petrol and diesel fuel. LPG vehicles also qualify for cheaper highway taxes. LPG is better for your engine and will prolong engine life. Its simple chemical make-up makes it a clean burning fuel, and, as it is already in gaseous form when it enters the combustion cylinder, it burns more efficiently than either petrol or diesel. Fewer deposits build up in your car engine, so it will run smoother and last much longer.

There are now over 10 million LPG vehicles in operation worldwide. South Korea leads the field with over a 1.7 million, followed by Italy, Poland and Turkey with over 1 million vehicles. The UK currently has over 128,000 vehicles running on LPG. There are more than 200,000 LPG powered vehicles in the United States

With rising oil prices, and an uncertain world supply, LPG seems like a natural choice to break free of the petrol pump. While LPG is still a fossil fuel, it is a better choice than gasoline or diesel, and provides a viable alternative as drivers wait for some future environmentally friendly form of transport. Environmentally friendly cars using LPG will not solve our energy problems alone, but it is a responsible solution that is currently available.