How Many KM is 1 KG of CNG?

Today I am writing about the types of fuel in India. As I explained last week, diesel and petrol are fuel types where the main difference is defined by the cost of operations. In today’s article I will take a look at Petrol, Diesel, LPG and CNG. For whom is it better? And which one should I choose?

Although there are alternative fuels like bio-gas and ethanol, we are not working in detail as these are not used in practice due to non-availability of sufficient quantities.

I would write the article as follows: I will compare and score each type of fuel for the following dimensions:

Investment
Running cost
Maintenance
Comfort
Performance
Environment
Availability

Investment

Out of the mentioned fuel types, we can easily say that the petrol engine is the cheapest. This is because the petrol engine is the base engine and is the simplest. Both CNG and LPG require minor engine modifications. Diesel engine is technically more complex than petrol engine and hence also more expensive.

For diesel engines, the design must be optimized taking into account the nature of the diesel, which requires a high compression ratio for compression ignition. Hence a diesel engine can be about one lakh rupees more expensive than a petrol engine.

LPG and CNG are highly flammable, and therefore do not require fundamental changes in the technology underlying the engine. To install an LPG or CNG kit, the initial investment requires Rs 40,000 for CNG and Rs 20,000 for LPG. This would include fitting the cylinders and modifying the engine and starting system accordingly.

Rank	Fuel Type	Expense vs Petrol
1	Petrol	0
2	LPG	20,000
3	CNG	40,000
4	Diesel	1,00,000

Running Cost

Operating cost of different types of fuels per litre/kg. The fuel is determined by the cost and mileage of the same.

The price of petrol is around Rs 50 per litre, though it varies slightly in different regions of India. Diesel costs around Rs 38 per litre. The increased cost of petrol and diesel has prompted the search for other alternatives, LPG and CNG. The cost of CNG is Rs 18 per kg and that of LPG is Rs 25 per kg.

Rank	Fuel Type	Cost
1	CNG	Rs 18 / KG
2	LPG	Rs 25 / KG
3	Diesel	Rs 38 / L
4	Petrol	Rs 50 / L

Now we have to consider the mileage of the car. Mileage varies greatly according to the specific model, engine and driving behavior. That’s why we’ll use simple average figures here.

In any good car with petrol, the expected mileage is on average around 15 KMPL and hence the cost per KM will be Rs 3.3 (Rs 50 divided by 15). With diesel, assuming an average mileage of 17 KMPL, the cost per KM would be Rs 2.3. With LPG costing around Rs 25 per kg and a mileage of 14 kg per 300 kms, the cost per km would be Rs 1.15 (one kg takes you 300/14 kms).

For CNG, mileage is same as for LPG and hence cost per km is

Rank	Fuel Type	Cost	Mileage (AVG)	Cost per KM
1	CNG	Rs 18 / KG	21 KM/KG	Rs 0.84
2	LPG	Rs 25 / KG	21 KM/KG	Rs 1.15
3	Diesel	Rs 38 / L	17 KMPL	Rs 2.3
4	Petrol	Rs 50 / L	15 KMPL	Rs 3.3

Maintenance

Buying a car is the beginning of a long relationship. In addition to normal running costs, the car will also require regular maintenance, and this varies per fuel type.

There are mainly two types of maintenance – periodic (or scheduled) maintenance and breakdown maintenance. Periodic maintenance requires replacement of all oily, worn out parts as per the expected good life.

Breakdown maintenance is the replacement of damaged or failed parts or any other type of problems that may arise suddenly.

The fact that petrol engine parts are cheaper than diesel engine parts, makes petrol engines cheaper for routine maintenance. Comparatively, diesel engines are expensive to maintain.

Another important point to consider, is the frequency of repairs which highly depends on the quality of construction. LPG/CNG fitment requires frequent checking of connections. Therefore, although routine maintenance costs are fairly inexpensive, it will be done frequently. Also, the cost of repairs for these engines will increase significantly with problems arising in the head ass. In addition, when the fitting is bad, the maintenance cost will increase rapidly.

Rank	Fuel Type
1	Petrol
2	Diesel
3/4	CNG / LPG

Comfort

To evaluate a car’s comfort from a fuel point of view, we must consider smoothness and ease of operation.

Petrol engines are known for their smooth handling, relatively quiet and good acceleration. Diesel engines, on the other hand, are quite noisy, have slow pickup and frequent cold starts.

The problem of foul smell, cold starting is being reported from the connection of LPG and CNG. In addition, the fitting of the tank requires additional space that could otherwise be used to carry bags and other items.

Rank	Fuel Type
1	Petrol
2/3	LPG/CNG
4	Diesel

Performance

The parameters to decide the performance of any car are engine capacity, power developed for pickup and stability over long and continuous use.

The petrol engine has an advantage over other fuels in terms of faster pickup and power. Diesel engines accelerate slowly and are more suitable for long usage. LPG/CNG fitments suffer from a slight lack of initial pickup, but accelerate faster than their diesel brethren.

Overall, we can say that for city use, we will not notice a difference in the performance of these fuel types.

Rank	Fuel Type
1	Petrol
2/3	LPG/CNG
4	Diesel

Environment

Nowadays, the environmental impact of the fuel type is considered during the procurement process. This is even more so with the recent attention to global warming and the like. All the types of fuel discussed here have different effects on the environment.

The effect of each fuel use depends on the chemical content of the fuel and the emissions after combustion. Here, petrol has the disadvantage of emitting carbon monoxide, which is a very toxic gas. Smoke from petrol engines is invisible but it is a very dangerous gas which also contributes to global warming.

Diesel, although it emits a dusty gas, has more environmentally friendly emissions than petrol. Diesel fumes do not contain some of the harmful gases present in petrol fumes.

However, LPG/CNG are more eco-friendly. This is because it is completely combustible and produces a clean exhaust gas.

Rank	Fuel Type
1/2	LPG/CNG
3	Diesel
4	Petrol

Availability

If we look at fuel availability, we should look at two things – local availability (how easily I can fill my tank) and global availability.

Although all fuels are derived from fossil fuels, the global availability of each fuel is a major deciding factor for price and usage limits. There is a shortage of petrol and diesel in India, while there is a huge demand for it. Major reserves of fuel are imported from Gulf countries and hence our local price of petrol and diesel is directly dependent on the international market price of petrol and diesel. This price is influenced by geopolitical events.

Domestic requirements require LPG, CNG and its related products to a large extent and hence the government has to frame rules for its use for commercial purpose. Nevertheless, a large quantity of it is produced in India and since the demand is relatively low, the risk of price shocks is low.

As far as local availability is concerned, petrol and diesel are easily available at all gas stations. However, not all of them carry LPG or CNG. Also, the availability of LPG and CNG varies regionally. In the north of India, CNG is predominant (there is no LPG in New Delhi) – but in the south, LPG is preferred.

So we can say that the local availability of LPG and CNG is limited to some extent and can sometimes cause problems if not planned.

Rank	Fuel Type
1	Petrol
2	Diesel
3/4	LPG/CNG