All Spanish towns with more than 50,000 inhabitants must have their Low Emission Zone, areas where access and circulation of cars will be limited: it will depend on each town hall, but the most polluting, those vehicles without an environmental label, are in the eye of the hurricane For them there is a formula that would help them avoid all these restrictions: Convert to LPG to get the Eco badge, but does it pay off?
Liquefied petroleum gas is one of the most widely used alternative fuels in the motor world, and it is mainly due to the economic advantage it offers compared to gasoline and diesel: It usually costs half also in the current inflationary scenario. Another point in its favor is the lower level of emissions and its availability: refueling is possible at more than 700 gas stations.
When is it paid off?
Despite all these ‘pros’, the question is inevitable: is it worth the investment that must be carried out to transform a car and make it LPG? The conversion is profitable for those drivers who do many kilometers a year with a model whose engine has a high consumption: in this case, the fuel savings will be 40% (approximately) and The operation will be amortized between 30,000 and 50,000 kilometers.
there is a calculator which helps to know how profitable this conversion is to be able to access the ZBE without limits. To do the accounts, it is necessary to enter the number of kilometers that are done per year, the consumption of our car, the cost of the transformation, that of LPG and that of gasoline. We have put the following data: 20,000 kilometers per year, 7 l/100 km, 1,500 euros, €1.006/liter and €1.62/l (average price of gasoline, according to the latest European Union Oil Bulletin). The conversion would be amortized in 32 months, that is, in just over two and a half years.
The conversion
Now that we have the accounts done, it is time to find out what the process is like, its requirements, its price… To convert your car, in the workshop they will have to install a tank for gas (which is usually located in the trunk area), a circuit (with a specific injector, valves, filters and sensors), an electronic control unit and a control, in the driving position, to choose what fuel we will use at all times.
This process has to be approved in a laboratory certified by the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce which will issue the corresponding report. Together with him, the one who gives you the workshop that has made the conversion and the one who legitimizes the tightness of the tank, you will have to go to the ITV so that everything is reflected on the technical inspection card. The last step is to modify the technical data of the vehicle in the Traffic registry: a process for which you will have to make an appointment and pay a fee of 8.50 euros. Only then can you request your Eco label.
Transformation is not for all engines
Switching to LPG is not an option for all engines. if your car is diesel, It is not the most recommended option because, although it is technically possible, the transformation is more expensive and the savings that you will achieve are not worth it. However, if you want to carry out the process, you must take into account that You can only go ahead if it meets the Euro 6 standard.
If your vehicle is gasoline, the conversion is easier, although it has its conditions: if the engine has more than 460 HP, this option is completely ruled out. Only models that comply with the the Euro 3 standard, that is, those enrolled from 2001: yes, They will not be entitled to the Eco label. Only Euro 4, Euro 5 and Euro 6 gasoline cars will be able to access it.
How much?
We finish with another of the key data to consider a conversion to LPG: how much does it cost? As we said before, It depends on the type of engine and also on the fuel.
For diesel, this operation has a high price because the process is more complicated: we are talking about figures that range between 1,900 and 2,500 euros. If the engine of your car is gasoline, the cost will depend on its characteristics: for a four-cylinder engine, the transformation can cost about 1,500 euro, while for a larger one (six or eight cylinders) it is easy to overcome the barrier of 2,000 euros.
