Germans Go for LPG Vehicles

LPG-powered cars make up an increasing percentage of the country’s alternative fuel vehicles.

November 12, 2014

BERLIN – According to the latest information on car registrations in Germany, the number of LPG-powered vehicles in the country is growing, and a report by Shell claims the long-term prospects for gaseous fuels are very good.

Petrol Plaza reports that according to data published by Germany’s Federal Road Transport Office in September 2014, the number of newly registered LPG-powered cars in Germany rose by 40.9% compared to the previous month. Electric vehicles (EVs) enjoyed a similar rise over the same period, while vehicles running on compressed natural gas (CNG) increased by 16.1%.

Out of 43.9 million cars on German roads, as many as 68.3% (approximately 30 million) are powered by traditional fuel, 30.1% (13.2 million) are diesels, while only 1.6% (680,000) are cars running on alternative fuels. Out of those, LPG-powered vehicles are prevalent (more than 500,000), with hybrids (85,500) and CNG cars (79,000) making up the rest.

“With over 500 thousand cars on the road today, LPG remains the number one alternative fuel in Germany. It is both environmentally friendly and reduces running costs for the drivers,” Rainer Scharr, chairman of the German LPG Association, was quoted as saying.

According to Shell, the ratio and sheer number of newly registered gaseous fuel-powered vehicles will continue to rise. It is estimated that in the year 2040 as many as 25% of new cars will be powered with either LPG or CNG. Forty percent of them will run on CNG only, another 40% will be hybrids with CNG-powered combustion engines and the remaining 20% will be LPG-only vehicles. By 2040 there will be 6.3 million CNG- and LPG-powered vehicles overall in Germany, accounting for 15% of all passenger cars there.

Obviously, fuel sales will grow along with car sales. Presently, gaseous fuel sales account for only 2% of all fuel sales for passenger cars in Germany. As estimated by Shell, the share will rise to 20% in 2040, while the sales of petrol and diesel fuel will fall accordingly.

For a first-hand view of the German fuel and convenience environment, be sure to attend the 2015 NACS Insight Convenience Summit-Europe. Taking place June 7 – 12, the event will begin with three days in Berlin, followed by three days in London. For more information, visit conveniencesummit.com.

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