Auto LPG sales in Q1 FY18 up 19% YoY

The sale of auto LPG rose 19 percent at 97 TMT in Q1 FY2017-18, compared to the same quarter in the previous year, the Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) reported today. Sales in Q1 FY2016-17 stood at 81 TMT, while in Q1 FY2017-18 they were 90.4 TMT, an increase of 7.3 percent for the quarter.

“We are seeing a continued trend of increased sales. The jump in sale of auto LPG, probably the most viable alternate auto fuel today, can be attributed to two key factors. One, continued high delta with petrol and diesel and thus much lower running costs and increasing awareness among people to mitigate environmental pollution. People increasingly realise that they must step forward to do their bit. One very easy way to do it is by choosing environmentally clean vehicles like auto LPG. Ready and wide availability of auto LPG is another reason for an increased acceptance of this fuel among the people,” said Suyash Gupta, director general, IAC.

A reduction in auto LPG prices in October 2016 by oil marketing companies Indian Oil, HPCL, and BPCL made the fuel cheaper by 50 percent compared to petrol. Following the price reduction, the sales volume increased by 16 percent between October 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.

LPG is sold in more than 500 cities at more than 1,100 stations. “As fast deteriorating air quality keeps increasing the health toll, there is bound to be an increased usage of clean fuels in the country. Auto LPG has emerged as a dependable fuel that’s not only safe, but also a tried-and- tested option for the OEMs, both globally and in India,” said Gupta.

Auto LPG emits up to 120 times lesser particulate emissions than diesel vehicles, 96 percent lesser nitrogen dioxides (NOx) than diesel, 68 percent lesser NOx than petrol and significantly lower NOx and HC than CNG. Also, auto LPG emits about 22 percent lower carbon dioxide (CO2) than petrol which is comparable to the CO2 emissions of CNG. At the same time, it is much cheaper than petrol, diesel and CNG.

Globally, Auto LPG is the third most commonly used automotive fuel after petrol and diesel, with over 26 million vehicles across 70 countries running on Auto LPG, along with seven of the ten global car manufacturers manufacturing LPG-powered cars.