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No-compromise on savings – LPG ex works from Opel

2010-03-23

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Rüsselsheim.  Opel is expanding its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) offer to a total of seven models when it adds two new versions on the Agila available now. With this move, the brand underscores its mission to be a leader in alternative propulsion systems.

LPG is gaining popularity throughout Europe as customers seek to substantially reduce their fuel costs and keep the environment clean. By ordering LPG engines directly from Opel, vehicle quality in safety and reliability are guaranteed.

With wide power outputs ranging from 48 kW/65 hp for the Agila to 101 kW/137 hp for the Zafira, Opel offers something for everyone looking for environmentally friendly motoring.  LPG is part of Opel’s portfolio of alternative propulsion systems that also includes CNG models and will be extended to include electric vehicles next year. Opel is developing a variety of advanced propulsion technologies to prepare for the future with a robust and sustainable energy strategy.

The Opel LPG ecoFLEX range now includes:

• Agila 1.0 (48 kW/65 hp) and 1.2 (62kW/84 hp)
• Corsa 1.2 (55 kW/75 hp) and 1.4 (65 kW/89 hp)
• Astra Station Wagon 1.4 (66 kW/89 hp) and 1.6 (84 kW/114 hp)
• Zafira 1.8 (101 kW/137 hp).

LPG – reduced fuel costs and tax advantages

With its factory-built LPG models, Opel offers an attractive alternative for cost-conscious and environmentally efficient driving. All LPG variants rightfully carry the ecoFLEX badge, the Opel distinction for efficient, reduced CO2 and lower consumption engines. Regardless of the annual distance covered, or whether it is private or business travel, driving with LPG can reduce fuel costs by around 40 percent, with almost no discernable reduction in power. These savings are long-term, as the tax breaks for this fuel are fixed in Germany until the end of 2018.

In terms of tax efficiency, Opel LPG models pay off across the board. The new vehicle tax regulations introduced in Germany in July 2009 are also based largely on carbon dioxide emissions and in LPG vehicles these are between 10 and 13 percent lower than those of their gasoline counterparts. For example, in Germany the vehicle tax for the Agila LPG ecoFLEX is just 26 euros.

All Opel LPG models offer the full functionality of a gasoline engine combined with the specific advantages of LPG. That is because a LPG tank, with a capacity of up to 52 liters, is installed in addition to a petrol tank. This means LPG vehicles have considerably lower fuel bills and increased operating range: No range anxiety.

The fuel level indicator is a very accurate five-zone scale. The display and control unit is fitted in a highly visible and easy-to-reach position near the driver. Operation modes (LPG to gasoline and vice versa) are switched automatically or chosen manually at the push of a button.

Because they can operate on LPG as well as Petrol, Opel LPG ecoFLEX models have a total operating range from 1,100 kilometers to just under 1,500 kilometers. The new Agila LPG’s operating range without refueling, for example, is increased by an impressive 580 to a total of 1,480 kilometers.

Production solution offers customers safety and manufacturer’s warranty

The LPG factory-built solution offers significant advantages over retrofit alternatives. First and foremost is safety. All Opel LPG vehicles are extensively tested, from special crash tests for the LPG tank to components that are located in collision-protected areas.  

Second, because LPG does not have the cooling and lubricating properties of gasoline, the engine’s valves and seats are hardened to cope with the greater degree of wear and tear. The LPG tank is installed either in the spare wheel well (Agila, Corsa, Astra Station Wagon) or under the vehicle floor (Zafira). This keeps storage space and load volume unchanged. Instead of the spare wheel, a tire repair kit is on board for emergencies.

Moreover, purchasing a LPG vehicle direct from the factory costs less than having it retro-fitted. For example, an Opel LPG vehicle costs up to 2,200 euros – that is considerably less than the normal prices of retrofitted solutions. Importantly, Opel also provides a two-year manufacturer’s warranty and staff at Opel-approved dealerships are specially trained for the maintenance of these vehicles. Service intervals and costs are the same as for conventionally fuelled models.

Last but not least, the addition of LPG propulsion also increases the resale value of a used car.

Cleaner, cheaper, no fine particles – driving with LPG

A mixture of butane and propane gas, LPG has become the most popular alternative fuel in recent years. It already powers over 13 million cars worldwide, including more than seven million in Europe. Experts expect the number of LPG drivers to increase substantially in the coming years.

LPG provides an attractive alternative to conventional fuels for two paramount reasons: it lowers fuel costs by up to 40 percent and has considerably less impact on the environment. Using LPG, a vehicle typically emits up to 13 percent less CO2 compared to gasoline. In 2008, around 300,000 tons of LPG were sold in Germany. This adds up to about 153,000 tons less CO2 emissions than those emitted from the consumption of an equivalent amount of conventional gasoline. In addition, emissions of other harmful gases like hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and particulates are reduced in the combustion of LPG. The fuel is also ecologically exemplary in terms of fine particle emissions.

Lower taxes on fuel and vehicle registration

According to studies by the Deutsche Automobil Treuhand (DAT), fuel costs play an increasingly important role as a decision criterion when buying a car. This trend will intensify if prices for conventional fuels exceed the psychologically significant 1.50 euros per liter mark, which is expected in Germany. Like natural gas, LPG is subject to lower taxation in Germany until at least the end of 2018, so it can be sold much more cheaply at the filling station.

Legislators in other European countries are offering similar tax breaks to promote the use of LPG as a cleaner fuel alternative. These factors make LPG vehicles from Opel the first choice for cost-conscious customers – regardless of whether they drive a lot or a little, privately or on business.

LPG infrastructure – European network of filling stations

Today, there are more than 25,500 LPG filling stations around Europe, so traveling through Europe with an LPG vehicle does not turn into a journey in search of fuel. With nearly 5,800 filling stations, Germany has the largest infrastructure in Europe. Other European countries also have a plethora of LPG stations. Italy, for example, has almost 2,200 stations, France more than 1,400; the Netherlands over 1,100 and Belgium well over five hundred. In Britain, almost 600 filling stations sell LPG. Hungary has about 250 stations.

Opel LPG: What is included in an LPG vehicle? 

Modern LPG engines use the advantages of selective injection per cylinder. In order to fully exploit the resulting output potential, the intake and outlet valves as well as the valve seats of Opel LPG models are especially hardened. This counters the extra wear and tear when running on LPG and makes additives unnecessary to compensate for the fuel’s relatively poor lubrication properties. It also means that the customer is not burdened with shorter service intervals, thereby saving costs.

Every LPG vehicle has an additional LPG engine control unit to optimize the combustion process in gasoline operation. Opel uses complex tests to tune the control system according to the degree of engine use. In addition, all components from the gasoline units can be used, so the customer gets a tested and proven powertrain. This approach contributes to maintaining exemplary consumption and emission values.

The engine cooling circulation system is used to convert the liquid gas in the tank to its usable gaseous state by warming it up. The efficient Opel solution, which integrates the required heat exchanger, guarantees rapid heating even at low temperatures.

Opel factory-fitted LPG cars include a fuel level indicator with a very accurate five-zone scale. The display and control unit is fitted in a highly visible and easy-to-reach position near the driver. Operation modes (LPG to gasoline and vice versa) are switched automatically or chosen manually at the push of a button. The separate filler inlets for each fuel are behind the same flap – another advantage of the neat Opel ex-factory solution which is of course covered by the two-year Opel manufacturer’s warranty.

LPG systems are subject to stringent testing and inspection procedures that from the outset completely eliminate any increased risk of fire. The systems used by Opel are subject to extensive examination, including crash tests in accordance with the company’s extremely strict criteria. The whole Opel system is fitted in collision-protected zones and perfectly integrated into the safety structure of the vehicle. 

OSV - Factory-fitted individualization

Opel Special Vehicles GmbH (OSV), an Opel subsidiary with expertise in special vehicle lines and modifications based in Rüsselsheim, is responsible for all LPG variants. Customers benefit a lot from OSV’s know-how: They receive a state-of-the-art LPG vehicle built to the highest Opel quality: with durability, a manufacturer’s warranty, maximum safety and unrestricted space all included as standard.  

Founded in 2000, OSV is dedicated to special product lines and vehicle conversions. The state-of-the-art modification center in the heart of the main Opel plant in Rüsselsheim covers a total area of 20,000 m2. The central location facilitates professional contact between the experts at OSV and their colleagues in Europe’s most modern automobile production facility, as well as those in the International Technical Development Center (ITDC). OSV is characterized by its medium-sized enterprise structures. This means short decision channels, maximum flexibility, innovative strength and creativity. A further strength lies in the OSV employees themselves, about 250 staff who are all highly qualified and motivated specialists, equipped with excellent know-how and state-of-the-art production facilities. The concentration of development, production and service under one roof guarantees a high degree of product and service quality.  

All special versions from OSV are tailored for the respective Opel vehicle in terms of usage, design and performance. This is why the police, taxi companies, driving schools, rescue organizations and other users of utility and special vehicles place their trust in the expertise of the Opel subsidiary. OSV is also responsible for the design and construction of Opel CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) models with the unique monovalentplus concept.