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An increasing
number of British motorists are
opting out of the volatile
petrol car market, according to
the latest LPG (liquid petroleum
gas) vehicle sales figures from
Proton. The only manufacturer
in the UK market to offer an LPG
ready car at no extra conversion
cost to the motorist, Proton has
seen a 375% uplift in sales of
its GEN-2 ecoLogic in the last
month alone – making Proton one
of the few manufacturers to
increase their sales (2.3%) in
May 2009 compared to the same
period last year1.
 Proton’s
sales figures reflect a growing
dissatisfaction amongst
motorists towards the
over-inflated price of petrol,
which is once again on the
rise. Adding further fuel to
the AA’s report today that over
a quarter of motorists are using
their cars less as a result of
the unreliable market, Proton is
championing LPG as a cost and
carbon-cutting way to drive.
With petrol
prices currently averaging £1
per litre (going as high as
110.9p) at the pumps, LPG costs
motorists just under half the
price at 52p2 (going
as low as 44.9p) for the same
amount. For the average
motorist driving 12,000 miles a
year, this equates to a saving
of around £670. Plus, eligible
for the scrappage scheme, the
GEN-2 ecoLogic starts from just
£7,995 (full price £9,995),
making the case for choosing LPG
even more appealing.
Proton introduced
the GEN-2 ecoLogic to the UK car
market in October 2008. The
first, and still only of its
kind available in the UK, the
ecoLogic comes readily converted
to dual-fuel LPG. To convert a
car to run on LPG currently
costs between £1,500-£2,500.
However the GEN-2 ecoLogic is
priced exactly the same as its
petrol equivalent and so the
customer starts saving on their
fuel costs the minute they drive
away, without having to first
offset the cost of the
conversion.
Simon Park, sales
director at Proton UK explains
why LPG is winning the hearts
and minds of motorists across
the country: “LPG gives
motorists the best of both
worlds – its has been proved to
be more eco-friendly than petrol
and diesel and also it costs
almost half the price to run.
For those questioning the
convenience of LPG, it’s
becoming increasingly easy to
fill up, with over 1400
refuelling sites around the UK,
including motorway service
stations and at major
supermarkets.”
Typically, LPG
produces less carbon monoxide,
particulates and nitrous oxides
than other fuel sources, plus a
15-20% reduction in carbon
dioxide compared to petrol. Even
the production of LPG is
environmentally friendly; it’s a
by-product of the extraction and
refining of crude oil, which
also means there’s a plentiful
supply in the UK.
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