Evidently fuel shortages have been and still continue to be an issue in Zimbabwe. One would muse over electric cars as a panacea to that issue but again electricity is also another issue locally. People are simply just stuck in having to contend with the fuel shortages and the somewhat steep price of the precious commodity. Despite all that it seems some people have been busy working on an interesting alternative. Imagine your car running on petrol and also being able to run on LP gas. Sounds interesting right? Well, a local company has just come up with a hybrid vehicle that actually runs on both petrol and LP gas
A Look At The Hybrid Vehicle
A Zimbabwean company called Intergas has recently introduced that hybrid vehicle – in the form of a modified Honda Fit. For starters, do not think that a vehicle running on LP gas is a far-fetched idea. In other parts of the world, it is actually normal to find vehicles running on LP gas. What Intergas has essentially done is to convert a Honda Fit that initially runs on petrol. So what they have done is to add functionality to allow it to run on LP gas also.
The Convenience Of This Hybrid System
This system can be installed on ex-Japanese vehicles. There will, of course, be some minor adjustments that will need to be made to the engine so as to incorporate the LP gas element. The system will work in such a way that you can switch from petrol to LP gas or vice versa. This will be possible just by the pressing of a button – how cool is that! You will no longer have to worry about running out of petrol and getting stuck. You will just switch to LP gas and resume your journey.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using LP Gas
There has been marked progress in perfecting the performance of LP gas vehicle fuel. Thus it is now possible for LP gas to produce a performance level that is at par with that of petrol. I had to mention this because some people might wonder in terms of the difference between the two. It is possible to get the same performance or output so you will literally not even tell if it is petrol or LP gas owing to variations in performance.
Environmental sustainability is a big deal especially nowadays. LP gas is considered a much cleaner energy source giving off emissions much less than petrol. In as far as reducing the carbon footprint in the environment is concerned; LP gas does well in regard. Get this, it is actually said by experts that using LP gas a vehicle fuel extends the engine life – it literally does not damage the engine.
In general, more LP gas is needed for covering a particular distance as compared to running on petrol. So if there are no special enhancements done performance cannot be at par. You also have to consider that LP gas tanks tend to be quite heavy. Moments ago I highlighted how that more LP gas might be needed for covering a particular distance in comparison to petrol. LP gas tends to be more expensive than petrol – approximately the fuel economy can be as lower by 25% than that of petrol. That variable can bring into question the cost-effectiveness of the hybrid system.
I think it is valid to say that this innovation is open to differing interpretations from individual to individual. What do you think? I would love to hear your comments on this one. I do not want to take away anything from the ingenuity of the brains behind this hybrid system – thumbs up to them! However, when we begin to interrogate issues to do with cost, effectiveness and the like we need to be ruthlessly honest. Would you want to have your ex-Japanese vehicle fitted with this hybrid system? If yes, why? If no, why? I am looking forward to your comments.
What we need is forward thinking people. People who will be around in 30 years time because the potential for this to Change our lives is huge. We have huge gas deposits in Lupane and Muzarabani. The biggest in SADC. If we were to start extracting our gas and turning it into LPG we could literally replace petrol imports as an absolute need saving hundreds of millions of USD.
I know somebody will argue and say LPG is about ZWL30 but its actually landing cost from S.A. is about USD 0.90. It actually cheaper but the only difference is that petrol is subsidized at the bank rate. The GVT is in fact implying that petrol’s real price is about USD1.10. Thats a 20 cents difference. Now if we are producing it ourselves I can assume that the price will drop to maybe about USD0.60. That will make up for the 25% drop in effeciency
This as well as being able to produce electricity cheaper, use home gas for cheaper and produce fertelizers for cheaper as well as exporting the excess could actually change our lives. Mozambique is moving on its natural reserves deposits, it’s time we do the same.
Thank you for the spirited feedback Vusi. In Zimbabwe forward-thinking and optimism are rarely rewarded. We certainly need a greater push for minds like these and yours to take the forefront.
i think i have to study a bit more on how it works because im developing questions around the combustion aspect.
in general use of lp gas is a good idea these guys have induced on the local scene it will make sense hopefully one day when the lp gas price is lower
Costs aside, we need such innovators. One day they’ll come up with a cheaper way of using gas just like came up and successfully manufactured a dual powering system. Thumbs up