DP Motoring: Stepping on the gas

The mighty MG Rover Group is going all-out for cleaner air, and has just announced a liquefied petroleum gas conversion option for new and used Rover and MG 1.8 models.

The conversion, which can switch between petrol and Liquefied petroleum gas at the touch of a button, uses the more widely available 1.8 litre K Series engine and covers Rover 45 and 75 manual models, as well as MG ZR/ZS manual models.

It is planned that the remaining petrol versions of MG and Rover cars will soon be progressively offered with approved Liquefied petroleum gas conversions.

The retail price of a LPG-equipped Rover or MG car, including installation, is an additional pounds 2,195.

But a rebate through the Powershift programme, which aims to help establish a sustainable market for alternative, clean fuel vehicles, will cover at least 50pc of the cost of conversion. This may rise to a 70pc rebate if the emissions results are fully certified.

Confirmation of MG Rover Group’s classification will be made available on the Powershift Register in the coming weeks.

Liquefied petroleum gas is a mixture of propane and butane that comes from oil refining and natural gas fields.

It is a cleaner fuel for the environment than petrol as it contains less contaminating components like sulphur and aromatic compounds.

The main advantage of Liquefied petroleum gas is its cost. It is cheaper than both petrol and diesel, partly because of the significantly lower fuel duty imposed by the Government.

The current average cost of Liquefied petroleum gas at retail filling stations is 36 pence per litre, compared to the typical cost of unleaded petrol at 75 pence per litre.

At present, there are more than 1,100 filling stations in the UK that supply Liquefied petroleum gas, and this network is growing at a rate of one per day.

To encourage the switch to more environmentally friendly methods of travel, the Government has introduced several measures: L Powershift Grants – customers who wish to convert their vehicles to Liquefied petroleum gas can get a grant towards the cost.

L Fuel Duty – the Government has promised to freeze the duty on Liquefied petroleum gas until the end of 2004.

L Congestion Charges – already London is set to introduce these charges. Under a European project called Alter, more than 30 of our cities and large towns will be introducing these schemes.

Liquefied petroleum gas vehicles will be exempt from these charges.

L Agenda 21 – this puts the onus on councils, public utilities and large companies to lower their emission levels. Liquefied petroleum gas helps them achieve this, and also save money.

Meanwhile, Toyota has announced plans to start limited marketing of a fuel cell hybrid passenger vehicle model in Japan and the United States from the end of this year, earlier than originally planned.

Initial FCHV units will be available only by lease, and to such entities as government bodies, research institutions and energy- related companies.

Toyota believes test-marketing an FCHV will contribute greatly towards greater market acceptance of hydrogen as a fuel.

The company expects full-scale commercialisation of fuel cell vehicles to begin in 2010 at the earliest.

WORLD Cup fever and the Jubilee celebrations helped bring a 20- month new car buying boom to an end last month. There were 207,330 new vehicles sold last month – 3.7pc down on the June 2001 total, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said.

But the figure was still the second best ever for June following last year’s record June, and year-to-date sales, at 1.34 million, are 6.2pc up on the January-June 2001 total.

SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan said: “The figures are extremely encouraging and it means that during all the celebrations, people were out buying new cars in droves.”

The SMMT said it expected demand for news cars to remain strong during the summer but to cool later in the year following exceptional growth in the last part of 2001.

The 10 best sellers in June were: 1. Ford Focus; 2. Peugeot 206; 3. Vauxhall Corsa; 4. Vauxhall Astra; 5. Renault Clio; 6. Ford Fiesta; 7. Ford Mondeo; 8. Vauxhall Vectra; 9. Volkswagen Golf; 10.Renault Megane.