Dual Fuel Commodore released

[fpv_gtho]

http://drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=10334&vf=2&bg=1&pp=3


What's new this week

By Tim Colquhoun
The Sydney Morning Herald
Friday September 16 2005

For the first time, Holden has released a dual-fuel Commodore, which can run on petrol or LPG.




With petrol prices about $1.40 a litre, excise-free LPG is becoming more attractive at about one-third the price. LPG-powered engines are less efficient, burning more fuel per 100km than their petrol equivalents but emissions are cleaner and the fuel bills are significantly lower.

One has to wonder why Holden has taken so long. It has been possible to get a Commodore converted to LPG since 1988 but only by after-market modifiers. Ford has sold an LPG-only version of the Falcon since 1999 and says it accounted for 10.5 per cent of Falcon sales this year. It sold 5173 LPG Falcon sedans, wagons and utes to the end of August, up 48 per cent compared with 2004.

Unlike the LPG-only Falcon, the Commodore can run on both LPG and standard unleaded petrol. It uses petrol to start up and switches to LPG, if selected, once the engine is warm. Power is the same as the petrol-only Commodore Executive - 175kW - but fuel consumption is higher.

The LPG/petrol Commodore costs $37,550 in sedan form and $40,660 for the wagon; $3900 dearer than the petrol sedan equivalent and $5120 more for the wagon.
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It has the same equipment as the Commodore Executive and includes dual airbags, air-conditioning, cruise control, power front windows and driver's seat, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, CD player and trip computer.

I believe the system used is more advanced than that used in Fords E-Gas, althoughh the extra hardware costs about 3x more than what Ford charge so you'd expect it to have better gains.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Interesting facts from yesterdays Drive, LPG commy 15.5/100k, ULP commy 11.1/100k and from 2007 the government is going to start taxing LPG and other 'alternative' fuels. So LPG will lose its only advantage over petrol. Interesting fact number 2: the gov. doesn't budget for revenue from fuel tax, its just extra money for their surpluses. So the government won't actually lose money and have less to spend on taxpayers (not that they really spend it on us anyway)

[Blue Supra]

Its about blinkn time! I heard though that LPG is going to be 80cpl come 2007 once they start taxing it. There goes LPGs advantage. Even so 2 years ago LPG was MORE expensive the petrol out some parts of woop woop in NT.

I read in the paper yesterday Australias most expensive fuel was $2.48 out in some place shed village in Queensland... Some people drive up to 800ks just to get the fuel in the first place. Now thats tough going :eek:

[SlickHolden]

That's a gov for you. They can't have something without a tax:p.

[nota]

Interesting facts from yesterdays Drive, LPG commy 15.5/100k, ULP commy 11.1/100k and from 2007 the government is going to start taxing LPG and other 'alternative' fuels. So LPG will lose its only advantage over petrol.
Didn't see the program, however I thought the below C&P was still currently factual regarding Govt's progressive introduction of tax on LPG. Btw there are more advantages to LPG than just its cheaper price.

In late December 2003, the Federal Government announced fuel excise reforms, which will ultimately mean motorists using Autogas will pay an extra 12.5 cpl by 2015.
Currently, fuel excise tax does not apply to Autogas, whereas petrol is taxed at 38.14 cpl. Starting in 2011, fuel excise tax will be added to Autogas at a rate of 2.5 cpl. This will increase by 2.5 cpl for five years, until the fuel excise on Autogas reaches 12.5 cpl in 2015. In today's terms, this will mean that in 2015, motorists will be paying approximately 30% more for Autogas when they fill up. However, it is anticipated that motorists using Autogas in 2015 will still be paying significantly less than those motorists who fill up with petrol.
The Federal Government also announced that between 2008 and 2011, a $1,000 subsidy will be offered to consumers who purchase a dedicated or dual fuel vehicle. However this subsidy is only available to those who purchase new vehicles

Interesting fact number 2: the gov. doesn't budget for revenue from fuel tax, its just extra money for their surpluses. So the government won't actually lose money and have less to spend on taxpayers
Eh? Most of it goes straight into consolidated revenue anyway, so how could the Gov't not actually lose money if it does in fact actually lose income?

[SlickHolden]

Maybe they can half the tax between fuel and gas;)

[2ndclasscitizen]

Didn't see the program, however I thought the below C&P was still currently factual regarding Govt's progressive introduction of tax on LPG. Btw there are more advantages to LPG than just its cheaper price.

In late December 2003, the Federal Government announced fuel excise reforms, which will ultimately mean motorists using Autogas will pay an extra 12.5 cpl by 2015.
Currently, fuel excise tax does not apply to Autogas, whereas petrol is taxed at 38.14 cpl. Starting in 2011, fuel excise tax will be added to Autogas at a rate of 2.5 cpl. This will increase by 2.5 cpl for five years, until the fuel excise on Autogas reaches 12.5 cpl in 2015. In today's terms, this will mean that in 2015, motorists will be paying approximately 30% more for Autogas when they fill up. However, it is anticipated that motorists using Autogas in 2015 will still be paying significantly less than those motorists who fill up with petrol.
The Federal Government also announced that between 2008 and 2011, a $1,000 subsidy will be offered to consumers who purchase a dedicated or dual fuel vehicle. However this subsidy is only available to those who purchase new vehicles

Eh? Most of it goes straight into consolidated revenue anyway, so how could the Gov't not actually lose money if it does in fact actually lose income?
Drive is the motoring section in the SMH. The Govt. won't really lose income, they never budget for it, so its just a bonus for them on top of all other taxes that they budget for

[Blue Supra]

those shneaky russians...

[SlickHolden]

Yeah like Rocky:p

[taz_rocks_miami]

LPG vehicles have been available in Mexico for a while now. There are a number of companies that do the conversions. But the only people that seem to be interested in making the conversion are some pick up truck owners and companies that have delivery trucks and some urban bus lines.

It would be nice to see passenger cars make the conversion as well. I wonder if the engines can be tuned after a conversion to put out the same HP as before? If so, I'd convert any of my future cars to LPG. :)

[nota]

IIRC, new sequential-injection LPG systems patented by a Netherlands LPG firm promise only 2% drop in efficiency. In my local area, LPG is approx 1/3rd the price of petrol! For trivia, my old non-EFI car was converted by GasResearch (http://www.gasresearch.com.au/) who engineer quality one-off performance installations, their LPG carbies are unique in that they can be rejetted - see gallery :)

-sorry nota, still learning the reigns-FPV

[Blue Supra]

LPG is the goods, most of the govi cars i drive have it. Aside from takin half an hour to fill up theyre pretty good.

[SlickHolden]

Any new model car with gas is good. But take a Old VB-VH on gas and it feels crap.
My mate's VS ute is on Gas and it feels as good on Gas as Petrol. You can make the gas work for you with some playing around:).

[taz_rocks_miami]

taz you might be interested in hp results for this LS1 Commodore, LPG vs Premium Unleaded. Also the BA Falcon emissions results HERE (http://www.gas-injection.com/news-lpg-gas-injection-technologies.html#link1)

Awsome, thanks for the link nota. :)