What are the advantages of methane fuelling?
First of all the savings, as today the cost of methane is considerably less than that of petrol and diesel. Another advantage is the longer duration of the engine. Also important is the environmental compatibility, as methane does not contain aromatic hydrocarbons, i.e. some of the more toxic pollutants present in other fuels (first of all benzene and lead), and its combustion does not produce particulate matter (PM10), which is one of the leading causes of atmospheric pollution in our cities. Thanks to these lower polluting emissions, cars converted to methane are considered ecological and may circulate in the historic city centres even in case of pollution-related traffic blocks.

What are the advantages of LPG?
First of all the savings, because LPG costs about half as much as petrol. No less important is its lesser environmental impact, as LPG does not contain some of the worst pollutants of petrol, and its combustion does not produce dangerous particulate matter. Compared to other fuels, measurements of its exhaust emissions are less by 10-15% (carbon dioxide), by 20% (carbon monoxide) and by 55-60% for unburned hydrocarbons. Thanks to these characteristics, LPG ensures the long life of the engine, reduces consumption of motor oil and improves the quality of the environment. These ecological characteristics also make it possible for LPG-fuelled vehicles to circulate even in case of pollution-related traffic blocks. A further advantage of LPG is the engine performance, which remains essentially the same as with petrol fuelling.

Can I install LPG on a car without a catalyser?
Yes, and the installation of the LPG system makes the car “ecological”, meaning you can benefit from certain advantages such as free circulation in urban areas even during pollution-related traffic restrictions.

What kind of vehicles can be converted to methane?
Those who want to install a methane system in their car must go to an authorised garage that will propose the correct solution for the specific model. It is important that the ignition and the electrical system in particular are functioning correctly in the car to be converted.

The following petrol-fuelled cars can be converted:
- with carburettor
- with injection, not catalysed
- with injection, catalysed Euro 0 - Euro 1 - Euro 2 - Euro 3 - Euro 4

On which kinds of cars can an LPG fuelling system be installed?
The installation is possible, with considerable advantages concerning the environmental impact, on cars with all types of petrol engines, in particular those with a carburettor, with mechanical or electronic fuel injection and with turbo engines. Cars with direct fuel injection require systems with new approvals as well as extended monitoring to verify reliability given the sophisticated technology used. On the German market, Bigas currently offers methane systems for the new Peugot 307 - 308 Turbo with direct fuel injection.

Are there any new cars already equipped with an LPG system?
Yes, most car manufacturers offer a certain number of models in LPG versions.

Is a running-in period necessary for new cars before the system can be used?
No. There are no particular contraindications. However, it is necessary to perform a check-up of the gas system at the end of the running-in period.

How much does an LPG system cost?
The cost varies greatly depending on the type of car, the chosen system and the tank. Roughly speaking, the cost can range from 800 to 2,000 euros, for a 4-cylinder engine from a carburettor model to a modern Euro 4 turbo engine. We recommend that you ask for an estimate directly at the specialised garages.

How much does a methane system cost?
The cost varies depending on the car model, whether this has a carburettor, fuel injection or fuel injection with a catalyser.
The cylinder is an important part of the system (about 50%), and cylinders with a greater capacity have a higher cost. Usually, cylinders with a capacity of 80-90 l are used in order to obtain a full-tank range of 250-300 km depending on the type of car.

How much time does it take to install a methane system?
The time required for the installation varies based on the type of car; on average it takes 2 working days.

Can a methane system be installed on a station wagon or van?
Yes, memorandum No. 58 of 30 April 1996 provides for this possibility.

May the tank be installed underneath the vehicle?
Yes, this is permitted by the installation law of 21/11/2002 and provided for in memorandum No. 58 of 30 April 1996, which requires that the minimum distance of the tank to the ground must be at least 200 mm when the car is empty and that the tank must be equipped with protection (memorandum No. 1671 - 4102 of 22/05/01).

Does the LPG tank take up a lot of space in the boot?
This depends on the car model and on the tank used. Classic cylinder tanks occupy about 20-30% of the boot. If toroidal (doughnut-shaped) tanks are used, these are installed in the space for the spare tyre.

What must a car’s condition be for conversion to methane?
A petrol car in good general conditions and above all with a well-maintained ignition system is a necessary prerequisite for the good functioning of a gas-fuelled car.

Does a car converted to methane lose performance power compared to a petrol-fuelled car?
With the new methane fuelling systems the difference in performance compared to petrol fuelling is less than 10%.

Does engine performance change with LPG?
Contrary to older systems, today’s systems with electronic LPG injection ensure a performance that is practically identical to the original one. Running on a gaseous mixture with great antiknock value leads to an improvement of the engine’s general working conditions and consequently increases its longevity.

Once the car has been converted to methane, can it still run on petrol?
The conversion of a car to methane does not prejudice its functioning with petrol. You can select the type of fuel each time by pressing the switch button that will be installed on the car’s dashboard. The car always starts with petrol and automatically switches to gas after about 30 seconds once the correct functioning parameters have been reached. With the conversion to methane the car’s full-tank range doubles because you can count on two fuelling systems.

Is the LPG system subject to erosion?
No, the system is not subject to any kind of erosion or deterioration.
Nonetheless, for greater security the law requires that tanks be changed after 10 years (counting from the date stamped on the tank’s label or, alternatively, from the date of the functional test).

What are the maintenance requirements of an LPG system?
Periodic inspection of the ignition system (replacement of spark plugs) and of the car’s electrical system (presence of oxidation on the connections) is recommended, i.e. every 15,000 km.
In a sequential LPG system the gas filter must be replaced every 20,000 km.
Have the reducer inspected every 40,000 km to make sure that no oil or various residues are present due to the different composition of the LPG.

An inspection by the G.F.B.M. (Body for the Management of Natural-Gas Tanks) is required every 5 years; the operation may be carried out at an authorised garage. For systems in accordance with European standard R110 the inspection takes place every 4 years.

What is regulation ECE/ONU 67-01?
This is the regulation that governs LPG systems equipped with safety systems.

On what LPG vehicles are systems equipped with safety systems in compliance with regulation ECE/ONU 67-01 installed?
On all those that have been converted to LPG as of 1 January 2001, the date on which compliance with regulation ECE/ONU 67-01 has become obligatory. The vehicle’s registration certificate must show the note “SYSTEM EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY SYSTEM ECE/ONU 67.01”.

What can vehicle owners do whose LPG system predates 1 January 2001 and probably is not compliant with regulation ECE/ONU 67/01?
They can decide to adapt their system to the regulation at a relatively low cost (about 200-300 euros depending on the type of tank) and with a relatively short downtime for the car.
They must go to an authorised garage to replace the tank and the valve unit. An update of the registration certificate will also be necessary.

Is an LPG system safe?Absolutely yes. It must be approved by the Transport Ministry and has passed extremely strict resistance tests with pressures 10 times that of the operating pressure.
LPG systems pass fire and crash tests with excellent results, better than those of petrol systems. In case of a fire or overpressure, the multivalves of R67-01-approved LPG tanks release the gas to avoid the explosion of the tank.

Is a methane system safe ?
Yes, it is safe. It is installed and tested according to precise European regulations (see product details to know the obtained approvals). In case of a serious accident (overturning of the car, fire, …), cars fuelled by diesel or petrol are much more dangerous and prone to explosions than methane-fuelled vehicles.

Is a methane car less safe than a petrol car?
The methane is contained in a special tank; the material (a special, enormously strong steel) of these and the tests necessary for their approval, carried out at a pressure more than two and a half times that of the normal operating pressure, guarantee total safety from the possibility of an explosion.
Proof of the safety of methane systems is provided by the fact that not a single explosion of a steel cylinder has been recorded. In addition, the self-ignition temperature of methane (540 °C) is double that of liquid fuels, and the combustion concentration (5%) is much greater than that of petrol (1%) and diesel /0.5%); the risk of fire is therefore reduced.

How can a gas leak be detected?
Both LPG and natural gas “smell” because they contain additives to provide for an olfactory warning sign to permit detection of any leaks.

How many fuelling stations are there in Europe for LPG?
In Europe there are more than 11,000 fuelling stations, including along the motorways.
For LPG users there are many guides showing the locations of fuelling stations in Italy and in Europe; One of this is the -LPG Gids- that covers 22 countries within Europe. Books can be purchased via email remarca@lpg-gids.nl

How many methane fuelling stations are there in Europe?
The distribution network for methane is growing continuously. In Europe there are more than 1300 CNG stations, in particular in Italy and Germany.

How does fuelling with methane take place?
The hose of the pump must be connected to the filling valve (located on the bumper or under the bonnet).
In modern fuelling stations it takes 4-5 minutes to fill an average-size tank (80-100 litres).

How does fuelling with LPG take place?
A special pump nozzle is inserted into the filling hole (usually found on the back bumper) whose shape differs according to country. For safety reasons the tank is filled only 80%, and the quantity is regulated by the multivalve installed on the tank. In France, Germany, Holland it is possible to use self-service stations as well.

What is the full-tank range of a methane system?
This depends on the size and number of the tanks installed in the boot. Only cylindrical tanks are available for methane, while spare-wheel-well tanks are not. An average tank holding 80 litres of methane (corresponding to 24 litres of petrol) provides a range of about 240 km. With the conversion to methane the car’s full-tank range doubles because you can count on two fuelling systems. Keep in mind that the range of the petrol tank remains the same as before and that this increases the range of a car with two fuelling systems.

What is the full-tank range of an LPG-fuelled car?
With the same number of litres, the range of an LPG-fuelled car is on average 10-15% less than that of a petrol-fuelled car; it may vary based on the tank installed on the car. For example, with a tank in the spare-wheel well, which benefits boot space, with an average capacity of 38 litres of LPG (corresponding to 31 litres of petrol) the range is about 310 km.
A cylindrical tank installed in the boot offers an average capacity of 53 litres of LPG (corresponding to 43 litres of petrol) with a range of about 430 km. Keep in mind that the range of the petrol tank remains the same as before and that this increases the range of a car with two fuelling systems.

How is the conversion km/litre between petrol and natural gas calculated?
Methane is measured in kilogram. In general, with 1 kg of methane a car can travel the same number of kilometres as with 1.7 litres of petrol.

How is the conversion km/litre between petrol and LPG calculated?
LPG is purchased by the litre. In general, with one litre of LPG a car can travel about 85% of the distance it could travel with one litre of petrol.
Thus if a car travels 10 km with 1 litre of petrol, it will travel 8.5 km with 1 litre of LPG. This ratio may vary based on the mixture of propane / butane used.

Can a methane-fuelled car be parked in an underground garage?
Yes, there are no restrictions.

Can I park a methane car in closed spaces such as the basement garage of an apartment building?
Italian law (like all European laws) does not provide for any restrictions for the access of methane vehicles to covered or underground parking areas or to ferries. Article 10 subparagraph 6 of the Decree imposes restrictions only on cars fuelled by LPG, a gas with a density higher than that of air which therefore tends to deposit itself in the environment.

Can I board a ferry with a gas-fuelled car?
There are no relevant legal regulations, and this is therefore at the discretion of the shipping companies. It is common and established practice to declare any gas-fuelling systems when purchasing the ticket and when boarding the ferry.

Can I park an LPG-fuelled car in underground parking garages?
Cars with LPG systems equipped with an ECE/ONU 67.01 safety system may only be parked on the first underground floor. Cars with systems installed before 2001 that are not in compliance with R67/01 are subject to Decree 01/02/86 and may be parked only on above-ground floors that are not connected to underground floors.

May I drive during traffic blocks with a methane or LPG car?
In case of traffic blocks or alternate number plate systems, methane and LPG vehicles may circulate because they are considered ecological vehicles.

May I travel through tunnels just as with a petrol or diesel car?
Yes, there are no restrictions of any kind.