Propane Vehicles

Propane, also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or autogas, is considered an alternative fuel under the Energy Policy Act of 1992. According to the Propane Education and Research Council, there are more than 143,000 on-road propane vehicles in the United States. Many are used in fleet applications, such as school buses, shuttles, and police vehicles.

The availability of new light- and medium-duty propane vehicles has surged in recent years, especially for fleet use. Propane vehicles can either be OEM vehicles or conversions. Engines and fueling systems are also available for heavy-duty vehicles, such a street sweepers and school buses, including some prep-ready engines from original equipment manufacturers.

Types of Propane Vehicles


A propane vehicle's power, acceleration, and cruising speed are similar to those of conventionally-fueled vehicles. The driving range for dedicated and bi-fuel vehicles is also comparable. Extra storage tanks can increase range, but the tank size and additional weight affect payload capacity.

Potentially lower maintenance costs are one reason behind propane's popularity for use in light- and medium-duty vehicles, such as trucks and taxis, and for heavy-duty vehicles, such as school buses. Propane's high octane rating (104 to 112 compared with 87 to 92 for gasoline) combined with its low carbon and low oil contamination characteristics may result in longer engine life. Propane performs well cold weather climates because the fuel's mixture (propane and air) is completely gaseous.

Compared to vehicles fueled with conventional diesel and gasoline, propane vehicles can produce lower amounts of harmful tailpipe emissions, depending on vehicle type and drive cycle.

How Propane Vehicles Work

Propane vehicles work much like gasoline-powered vehicles with spark-ignited engines. Propane is stored as a liquid in a relatively low-pressure tank (about 150 pounds per square inch). In vapor injected systems, liquid propane travels along a fuel line into the engine compartment. The supply of propane to the engine is controlled by a regulator or vaporizer, which converts the liquid propane to a vapor. The vapor is fed to a mixer located near the intake manifold, where it is metered and mixed with filtered air before being drawn into the combustion chamber where it is burned to produce power, just like gasoline. Liquid propane injection engines do not vaporize the propane. These systems have also proven reliable in terms of power, engine durability, and cold starting.