LPG Car Conversion in Belgium: Costs, Savings, and Benefits
- The most frequently requested, for losing less space in the boot, are tanks in place of the spare wheel.
As fuel costs weigh heavily on motorists in Belgium, liquid petroleum gas, commonly known as LPG or GPL, is emerging as an affordable alternative priced at under one euro per liter. While the fuel offers significant savings at the pump, drivers must weigh the initial conversion costs and practical constraints before making the switch.
The Economics of Driving on LPG
Motorists choosing LPG can significantly cut their fueling expenses, with prices remaining below the one-euro mark per liter. Annick, a Belgian driver who converted her vehicle, reports spending roughly 31.56 euros for an estimated 620 kilometers of driving range, noting that a full tank typically costs between 40 and 45 euros.
Despite the immediate savings, converting a standard gasoline vehicle requires a substantial upfront investment. According to garagiste Lionel Laffut, retrofitting an existing vehicle currently costs a little over 3,000 euros. Motorists generally amortize this expense after driving approximately 40,000 kilometers.
The most frequently requested, for losing less space in the boot, are tanks in place of the spare wheel.
Lionel Laffut
Market Trends and New Vehicle Options
Installers note a slight uptick in inquiries driven by high conventional fuel prices, though the overall conversion market has shrunk over the past decade. Lionel Laffut points out that workshops that once performed multiple installations weekly now handle only one or two conversions per month due to the high initial barrier of entry.
To bypass conversion expenses, some buyers opt for factory-equipped LPG models. Philippe Piron, a car dealer in Namur, observes that new gas-powered vehicles increasingly appeal to motorists driving shorter distances, rather than solely high-mileage commuters, purely for the economic advantage at the pump.
Adoption Rates Across Belgium
Despite the financial appeal, LPG remains a niche market representing less than one percent of the total vehicle fleet in Belgium. Febiac, the Belgian and Luxembourg Automobile and Cycle Federation, reports that out of roughly 414,000 new car registrations recorded last year, only 3,100 involved gas-powered motorizations.
Christophe Dubon, spokesperson for Febiac, attributes this low adoption rate to a dwindling selection from major automakers. More than 95 percent of the country’s annual LPG registrations originate from a single manufacturer, indicating limited industry support for the technology.