PETROL SUBSTITUTE

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32351, 17 July 1970, Page 17

PETROL SUBSTITUTE

A petrol substitute which costs only half the price of conventional petrol is now on sale In the southern Australian State of Victoria. But at present, mainly because of distribution problems, it is available only to commercial operators. The fuel is liquified' petroleum gas. It is called “Heatane auto-gas” by the manufacturer, the Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria, a semi-Government organisation with its headquarters in Melbourne.

The fuel is said to treble the life of a car or truck engine, and it very greatly reduces air pollution. The problem is that conventional vehicles must be modified to use it. The modifications and adjustments, which cost about 8250, include replacing the petrol tank with a cylinder to store the liquid gas, and installing a special carburettor and a converter to turn the liquid into a gas before it is supplied to the engine.

But the fuel costs only 20c a gallon, compared with the Australian prices of 43.3 c a gallon for super grade petrol, and 39.9 c a gallon for standard grade. The price would rise if the Government instituted a tax on the gas similar to that imposed on petrol. But so far this has not happened. The petrol substitute has been on sale in the United States for some time, and is used there in many heavy trucks. In Britain it is known as Calor gas, and among other things is used to drive fork-lift trucks which operate in enclosed spaces, and therefore must not emit toxic exhaust gas. Meanwhile in Sydney, a company is modifying cars to use the gas. Several Sydney taxis have been modified to use the fuel, and have been running on it for some time.