Bhubaneswar: Is Rs 90 for a litre of fuel giving you sleepless nights? Here’s a way to save money on your running costs. You can a fix a CNG/LPG gas kit to run your car. Odisha Bytes explores both options for you:
CNG
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is priced at Rs 59 a kg in Bhubaneswar. The mileage per kg is also more than what it for a litre of petrol. For example, the WagonR CNG gives 32.52 km/kg while 21.5 kmpl on petrol, according to ARAI.
The cost of conversion to CNG depends on the type of kit. Usually, an aftermarket sequential kit costs around Rs 60,000 that includes everything.
How Much Will I Save?
In a small hatchback like WagonR, the running cost of CNG is around Rs 1.7 per km and that of petrol is more than Rs 4 per km. One can recover the investment in just 25,000 km. Ideally, if you are going to do 25,000 km in 2-3 years, then converting to CNG is a great economical option.
Can I Still Drive On Petrol?
Yes, you can. There is a switch for that. Most cars start on petrol and run on CNG in the auto mode. The performance is slightly lower in CNG mode.
How Much Space Is Required?
The CNG tank will take up most of your boot space.
Is It Safe?
CNG is considered a safer fuel than LPG considering its density and high ignition point. It is highly recommended to go for reputed RTO certified aftermarket kits. The safest option, however, is buying a factory-fitted CNG car. Maruti, Hyundai and many carmakers provide such models.
Where Can I Refuel CNG In Bhubaneswar & Cuttack?
BPCL Chandrashekherpur, HPCL Patia, IOCL Khandagiri, IOCL CDA Cuttack & CRRI, are few pumps that have CNG.
Does It Take Time To Refuel?
It takes almost similar time to refuel the gas as petrol. But there is limited range (200-300km) because of the size of the tanks. This means you have to refuel more frequently. Also, due to fewer CNG pumps, there is often a longer queue with commercial vehicles.
LPG
Like CNG, you can also convert your car to LPG and run in bi-fuel mode. However, LPG is available at limited filling stations and using cooking gas is illegal.
LPG conversion kits are cheaper (around Rs 35,000). The mileage is slightly lower per litre. Autogas is priced around Rs 40 here and these cost savings mean you can recover your investment in around 20,000 km.
However, safety-wise, CNG is considered better. Do note that after converting a vehicle to CNG or LPG, you have to get it updated at the RTO. Environmentally, CNG and LPG are cleaner fuels and produce less soot than petrol and diesel.
Also Read: India’s 1st CNG Tractor A Game-Changing Innovation, Says Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
