Tankful
At today's prices in Poland a litre of LPG costs €0.75/l and a litre of 95 petrol €1.85/l. A car that uses 7 l of petrol per 100 km burns about 8.5 l on LPG. Driving 100 km then costs €12.97 on petrol and €6.35 on LPG – a saving of €6.62 every 100 km.
When a conversion pays for itself
Let's assume a sequential LPG system, fitted, costs €1,050 in Poland (about 4,500 zł; the price depends on the engine and the workshop). Then:
| Petrol use | LPG use | Saving per 100 km | Pays off after |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 l | 7.2 l | €5.74 | about 18,000 km |
| 7 l | 8.5 l | €6.62 | about 16,000 km |
| 9 l | 11 l | €8.46 | about 12,000 km |
| 12 l | 14.5 l | €11.40 | about 9,000 km |
At 15,000 km a year, a car using 7 l of petrol saves about €993 a year on LPG. The higher the consumption and the more you drive, the faster the system pays for itself.
And in Germany?
In Germany LPG (Autogas) costs €1.12/l and petrol €2.35/l. The same 7-litre car saves €6.92 per 100 km there. Conversions in Western Europe usually cost more – at an assumed €2,500 the system pays off after about 36,000 km.
LPG and petrol prices over time
| Series | Latest week | A year ago | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland – petrol (95) | €1.85/l | €1.39/l | €1.28/l |
| Poland – LPG | €0.75/l | €0.62/l | €0.66/l |
| Germany – petrol (95) | €2.35/l | €1.72/l | €1.67/l |
| Germany – LPG | €1.12/l | €1.02/l | €0.77/l |
Whether LPG pays off depends on the gap between LPG and petrol prices. A year ago LPG cost €0.62/l in Poland and €1.02/l in Germany.
Why you use more LPG
LPG holds less energy per litre than petrol, so the engine burns more of it by volume – usually 15–25% more. The car also starts on petrol and switches to gas once warm, so on short trips part of the fuel is still petrol. The figures above assume about 20% more LPG than petrol.
Who LPG makes sense for
- High-mileage drivers – fifteen thousand kilometres a year or more. The system then pays off within a year or two.
- Cars with large petrol engines – the higher the consumption, the bigger the saving on every kilometre.
- Long-distance drivers – on long stretches you're on gas almost the whole time.
LPG pays off less if you drive little, mostly short trips in town, or if your engine has direct injection – systems for those engines cost noticeably more.
Things to keep in mind
- Running costs: the system needs servicing and filter changes, and in Poland an LPG car needs a roadworthiness test every year.
- Boot space: the round tank usually takes the place of the spare wheel.
- Car parks: some underground car parks don't admit LPG cars.
- Abroad: LPG is available in most of Europe, but not everywhere as widely as in Poland, and filling up can require an adapter. Check LPG prices in other countries in the fuel prices in Europe table.
Compare the cost of a specific trip on LPG and on petrol in the Tankful calculator – just switch the fuel type. For more on the cost per kilometre, read how much it costs to drive 100 km.