LPG’s exact composition varies from region to region. This is the mixture often found in camping stoves. Liquefied petroleum gas – LPG for short – is a mixture of propane (C3H8), propylene (C3H6), butane (C4H10), and butylene (C4H8). Natural gas is also used in heating systems and in gas ranges. This combination of one carbon atom with four hydrogen atoms carries a lot of energy. Other systems have to use expensive gasoline to warm up in the start-up phase.Ĭompressed natural gas – CNG for short – is made up of molecules of CH4. The Bosch system can start on CNG even when it is cold, which means that customers can practically always drive on the more cheaply priced CNG.

They can switch back and forth between CNG and gasoline whenever necessary, without the driver noticing.

These vehicles leave the same impression of quality and longevity as comparable variants equipped with gasoline systems. The Volkswagen Group, Fiat, and Opel, for instance, all offer new vehicles fitted with Bosch CNG systems. It’s a different story with CNG cars, since these systems are almost always integrated into the vehicle ex works. Since these retrofit systems generally offer nothing like the quality or durability of an OEM system, additional costs and visits to the workshop are almost guaranteed. This involves taking the vehicle to a workshop and having it fitted with a second fuel system. While a number of automakers are now offering CNG systems ex works, LPG systems often still come as retrofit solutions. However, CNG-powered vehicles will become more popular in the market only if the infrastructure is significantly expanded.” said Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH Technologically, this is an area in which Bosch components lead the way.

“Natural gas systems already have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions at little extra cost. The CO2 savings offered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are somewhat lower – but then it is somewhat cheaper to convert a vehicle to LPG than it is to buy a CNG system ex works. This is due to the chemical properties of this fuel source. Compared with a conventional gasoline engine, a gas-powered vehicle generating the same power will emit 25 percent less CO2. In Germany, CNG powertrains in passenger cars pay off as soon as annual mileage exceeds 7,000 kilometers.

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