Clean Up Your Classic Car with Propane

All thoughout the rest of the world, cars are converted to propane. Here in the US there is a small group of people that have converted cars to propane.

Propane falls just behind gasoline and diesel as the most common vehicle fuel in the United States, and some 10 million vehicles use it worldwide. The Department of Energy says propane produces less carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nonmethane hydrocarbon emissions than gasoline. Increasing annual consumption by 10 percent could displace nearly 1 billion gallons of gasoline by 2017, according to the Propane Education Research Council.

So far none of the big automakers offers propane-burners to the public here in the U.S. But several companies offer conversion kits and turn-key cars. Roush, for example, sells converted Ford pickups. Retrofit kits don't require any major alterations, Krainiak said, and you can switch back to gasoline if you can't find propane.

Uncle Sam has adopted several provisions and tax credits to spur propane use, according to the National Propane Gas Association, and there's effort to increase the number propane fueling stations in the U.S. There are about 2,500 nationwide, and it's going for 64 cents a gallon. Krainiak considers propane a viable engine fuel for the future, and he isn't alone. Hyundai plans to offer a propane-electric hybrid in South Korea, where the stuff is readily available.

Source: Wired Magazine