A viral trend of motorists using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) instead of vehicle fuel elicited debate centering on the consequences of the technology in the long run.
A section of the motorists revealed that using LPG gas to fuel their vehicles helped them cut down on their fuel expenses by almost 40 per cent.
Some claimed that they used Ksh2,000 to fuel their car to and fro a Nairobi-Nakuru trip. For instance, based on how one drives and their driving style, a motorist can consume an average of Ksh4,000 to Ksh5,000 to cover the same distance.
Further, a taxi driver also alleged that he used Ksh500 daily and in turn made Ksh5,000 in a single day.
Car dealer and expert, Miller Kyalo revealed the consequences of such a move – cautioning the motorists that modified cars would not be insured and current contracts were at risk of being terminated.
He noted that insurances accuse the motorists of not consulting with them or the manufacturers while installing the modifications.
Kyalo pointed out that the technique of running on LPG was based on motorists benefitting from the low prices of cooking gas.
He added that should the prices hike, the modifications would be pointless.
“They are gambling because they are doing this on hearsay. Personally, I cannot go in this direction because there is the challenge of insurance and also the value of the car will depreciate.”
“Unless those claiming to benefit come with documented evidence to indicate how they saved Ksh500 per day, then I can’t advise someone to follow suit,” he stated.
The dealer added that the engines are not meant for LPG owing to efficiency and in the long run, one would still need petrol to ignite the engine and switch to gas.
He advised motorists to consider hybrid or electric cars when opting for fuel-efficient motor vehicles.
Kenya Power recently reduced the cost of charging electric cars in a bid to boost investment in the Electrical Vehicle space.
Jeremiah Kiplagat, Director at the Institute of Energy at Kenya Power, stated that the power prices for electric car charging stations were reduced from Ksh27 per unit that domestic users pay to Ksh17 per unit.
