The Real Deal on Propane Autogas Pricing

A recent article in the Pittsburgh Business Times is a perfect illustration of why it’s so important to spread the word about propane autogas—keyword autogas—as an affordable, American-made alternative vehicle fuel.

The piece details Pittsburgh’s Yellow Cab’s plan to convert 75 fleet vehicles to run on autogas. However, the reporter references DOE data that makes propane fuel actually seem more expensive than gasoline. Not true, and here’s why:

The DOE data is an inaccurate depiction of autogas pricing. In surveying propane prices, they include retail propane prices not specific to propane as an engine fuel (autogas), so the figures don’t accurately indicate the price fleets pay at the pump. Because of the volume of propane used for vehicle fuel, autogas prices can be significantly lower than propane for things like RV’s and grill cylinders.

And perhaps most importantly, propane has a higher octane rating than gasoline, so autogas vehicles have greater fuel efficiency than the DOE data indicates. The data only compares fuels on a BTU basis, and doesn’t take into account the impact octane has on efficiency.

Fleets like Pittsburgh’s Yellow Cab will actually save money by switching to autogas, both on fuel costs and through reduced vehicle maintenance (again, where the clean-burning nature of autogas comes into play!). Many fleets even report their autogas vehicle engines last longer.

Switching America’s fleets to autogas is simply a smart investment, both for companies with shrinking budgets, as well as for those with the long-term goal of enhancing U.S. energy security with domestically produced clean fuel.