eBusiness Weekly
Panashe Chikonyora
Zimbabwean integrated gas company, Intercontinent Energy Private Limited’s brand, Intergas, designed and recently unveiled a modified Honda Fit Hybrid vehicle that runs on both petrol and liquid petroleum gas.
Intergas said the adoption of autogas technology for vehicles will give motorists an easier alternative fuel, which will help them spend less time looking for fuel and avoid more time in long fuel queues.
According to Intergas, the new hybrid car has a dual fuel system that uses both autogas (LPG) and petrol interchangeably at the click of a button.
The development is critical as it comes at a time when fuel shortages among other challenges — rising inflation, power and cash (both local and foreign currency) shortages are weighing down the country’s economic development.
This has seen productivity, a necessary and a long term solution in solving the country’s long term problems being slowed down.
Therefore, adoption of autogas technology in the country means a reduction in bills for importing petrol and an enhancement of the country’s environment.
In an interview with the Business Weekly, Intergas Operations and Security Director Gift Chitanda said the Intergas car comes with numerous advantages that do not only benefit motorists, but also their vehicles and the environment they operate in.
“Obviously with the ongoing petroleum based fuel shortages, it’s a no brainer for someone looking for convenience to consider an alternative, more so an alternative that will not require them to buy a brand new car altogether but one which needs a few technical tweaking of their current vehicle.
The fact that someone can use two fuels in one car makes it even better because the customer always has an alternative, either way you look at it.
“On the global market, LPG is cheaper than petrol by at least 50 percent. That will hypothetically mean if Zimbabwe can do away with petrol cars today and adopt Autogas, the economy will save between 30 to 50 percent on the import bill of petrol by just importing LPG for cars instead.
“A car owner will also save within the same range of 30 to 50 percent on their fuel bills annually,” he said.
“The environmental benefits are tremendous since LPG is a cleaner fuel compared to petrol. Talk of the current climate change issue, global warming. Zimbabwe will become active in that push for a cleaner fuel by simply converting to Autogas.
“In other countries, e.g. Hong Kong, they have green areas where no petrol or diesel cars are allowed, most taxis run on LPG.
“Being a cleaner fuel, LPG prolongs your engine life with less impurities being deposited in your engine.
“The service of a petrol engine is recommended at 5 000km, but when you switch to Autogas, its 10 000km, thus more savings. For logistics companies or fleet operators, one of their biggest cost drivers is fuel, with more of it being stolen, but with Autogas no fuel is ever stolen,” added Chitanda.
He also said autogas is a safe fuel as it is less volatile, with an ignition point of “470°C” higher than that of petrol which is “246°C.
“The tanks and equipment used in Autogas are automotive industry approved and comes with loads of safety features where the waste case scenarios were studied over almost a decade now,” he said.
Intergas is working with THLD group of UK, who have had years of experience in rolling out autogas projects in 3 African countries that include Nigeria, Rwanda and Ghana.
Autogas has been in use in other countries since 1939 with over 25million cars driving on LPG world over.
