Propane Vehicle Technology

Propane-powered vehicle technology has advanced over the years to become comparable in both performance and efficiency to gasoline-powered vehicle technology. Propane vehicles are reliable and safe to own and operate for individuals or for a fleet.

Conversion Technology

Currently in Canada, no new propane-powered vehicles are available for purchase directly from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), so vehicles must be converted to run on propane.

More about converting your vehicle

Vehicle Warranty

In most cases converting a vehicle to run on propane does not automatically void the OEM warranty. Although, typically a warranty does not cover modified parts of a vehicle or if the modification is found to have caused the damage or malfunction. The individual vendor/dealer should be contacted for clarification.

Vehicle Performance

There is usually no significant difference in performance between propane and gasoline vehicles. A propane-powered vehicle has an operating range comparable to gasoline vehicles, and adding additional tanks can increase the range.

The low oil and carbon contamination characteristics of propane can even result in greater fuel efficiency and a longer engine life than both gasoline and diesel engines.

Gasoline vehicles that are converted to propane may experience a slight drop in the maximum horsepower of the vehicle under a wide-open throttle, but this does not occur with liquid propane injection.¹ Propane is a less dense fuel than gasoline, so power might decrease slightly, but operators rarely notice this loss.²

Performance Success Story:
Over the last 25 years, the London, Ontario Police Service has converted the majority of their fleet to propane. Each year the horsepower of all converted vehicles is tested and compared with the horsepower rating before conversion. At engine speeds of 3200 to 3300 revolutions per minute, the vehicles typically register about 110 wheel horsepower on propane, compared with 117 wheel horsepower on gasoline.
Vehicle acceleration is also tested from time to time. Tests from the 1990s show that a vehicle running on propane was only 0.5 seconds slower in going from 0 to 60 kilometres per hour at full throttle than an identical vehicle running on gasoline.³

Octane Rating

Octane rating refers to the anti-knocking properties of a fuel. When an engine knocks, it results in a reduction in power. The higher a fuel’s octane rating, the less likely it is to knock, and the greater its efficiency. Propane’s Road Octane Number is 104⁴, compared to gasoline at 86-94, meaning gasoline is more likely to knock than propane, resulting in reduced power.

HD-5 Grade Propane

Propane specified for automotive engine use is called HD-5. HD-5 consists of a minimum of 90% propane, a maximum of 5% propylene. A mixture of heavier hydrocarbons make up the remainder (butane, methane, butylene etc.). Grades lower than HD-5 (such as HD-10 or higher) are suitable for other propane applications, but can cause engine problems due to the higher amount of propylene. Propylene is used in the manufacture of plastics and can cause engine components to gum or stick if the concentration is higher than 5%.

¹ Source: NRCan Office of Energy Efficiency 
² Source: National Propane Gas Association 
3 Source: NRCan, FleetSmart, Success Stories, FleetSmart Profiles: Cars & Minivans – The London Police Service – London, Ontario http://fleetsmart.nrcan.gc.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=docs.view&id=cars-minivans-london 
⁴ Source: NRCan, Office of Energy Efficiency, http://www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation/fuels/propane/propane-safety.cfm?attr=8