Kenyan company creating LPG-fuelled cars

(28 May 2014) This might look like any other Toyota, but this car is changing Africa's roads.
This car is operating on Liquified Petroleum Gas or LPG and gives you an option of using petrol.
This innovation could change the way of life for many in a region where the cost of living, and fuel prices are continuing increase sharply.
Hashi Energy a Kenyan petroleum company has produced the engine conversion to enable cars to operate on LPG.
This conversion costs about 1,000 US Dollars, but Hashi Energy says it's is worth on the long run as the autogas will deliver around 9km to the litre (5.5 miles to 0.21 gallon) whereas petroleum delivers around 10km to the litre (6.21 miles to 0.21 gallon).
This translates into approximately 15-20 kenyan shillings (about 20 US cents) less per litre as compared to petrol. (one litre of petrol trades at 115 Kenya shillings).
Rufus Mbiyu, an automotive engineer from Hashi Energy explains: "Cleaner burning fuel hence you have a longer engine life. It is also going to be cheaper than petrol because it's mainly comparable to petrol. You are looking at 15-20 shillings (kenya shillings) in terms of price difference litre to litre. It is also cleaner on the environment, you have lesser emissions to up to 20 percent."
However the Automobile Association of the UK says on their website that the fuel economy of LPG cars is about 20-25% lower than regular petrol or diesel vehicles.
This is the gas tank, and it is strapped under the vehicle.
"This particular model of the vehicle, we have installed the tank underneath and strapped it, reinforced it and pipe gas to the front (engine)."
Hashi runs petrol stations across East Africa, and say they will customise some of their fuel stations to allow easy refuelling.
Mbiyu adds that LPG conversions have three key components in the engine; vaporiser, filter and injectors.
"For LPG conversions, you have three key components in the engine; vaporiser, filter and injectors. Gas is delivered to the vaporiser in liquid form, converted into vapour and follows through this holes, filtered and delivered to individual injectors which inject to individual cylinders," says Mbiyu.
The car is being marketed at various shopping malls in Nairobi.
Car owner, John Maina is interested in a conversion.
"Willing is an understatement. Looking at the current prices of fuel and where we are heading, fuel is becoming more expensive and also there is that personal commitment to going green. The world is going green in all aspects and with this type of technology not only are you getting into going greener agenda as a person, pocket wise it's more friendly ."
Maina wants to know if there will be a network of LPG stations across Kenya.
"The only question to Hashi would be; how available will this be? Will they be able to increase their footprint within the country so, whereby if you are invest in this, if I go to, lets say Mombasa, Nyeri, or if i go to Nakuru, I can be able to find Hashi there and be able to fuel up my gas?"
Hashi Energy is betting on LPG to cut the cost of transport across the region.
And in the future, more cars on the road could be driving with LPG fuel.
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