National retrofit policy necessary to convert used cars to Auto LPG: Industry
New Delhi, Aug 5
India's booming pre‑owned vehicle market presents a fast, practical opportunity to cut urban pollution for which the government must adopt a time‑bound national retrofit policy to convert in‑use petrol and diesel vehicles to Auto LPG, an industry body said on Wednesday.
The Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) -- the nodal body for the promotion of Auto LPG in India -- called for a dedicated retrofit policy as used car sales near 6 million annually.
The industry body said such a policy would help transform the country's growing pre-owned vehicle ecosystem into a powerful tool for reducing vehicular emissions and improving air quality, particularly in pollution hotspots such as Delhi-NCR and other non-attainment cities.
The report cited industry estimates that pre‑owned transactions are growing much faster than new car sales, and pre‑owned volumes could rise from about 4.6 million units in 2023 to more than 10 million units by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate of 12-13 per cent.
More than one used vehicle changes hands for every new car sold in the country, it noted.
Converting even a fraction of the pipeline of tens of millions of internal combustion engine vehicles on Indian roads would deliver substantial air‑quality gains, especially in pollution hotspots such as Delhi‑NCR and other non‑attainment cities.
It makes retrofitment one of the fastest and most practical pathways to achieve near-term emission reductions while longer-term solutions such as electrification and hydrogen continue to scale.
"By leveraging a proven fuel that is roughly 40 per cent cheaper than petrol and delivers significantly lower particulate, hydrocarbon and NOx emissions, India can quickly cut pollution from vehicles currently on the road and deliver immediate health and air-quality benefits for millions, even as longer-term pathways such as electrification and hydrogen continue to build scale," said Suyash Gupta, Director General, Indian Auto LPG Coalition.
Auto LPG is nearly 40-45 per cent cheaper than petrol on a per‑kilometre running‑cost basis and that conversion costs are about Rs 30,000 per vehicle, significantly lower than the several lakh rupees typically needed to switch to an electric vehicle.
LPG-powered vehicles can deliver around 50 per cent lower carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbon emissions compared to petrol vehicles, while also producing significantly lower nitrogen oxide emissions and operating well below BS-VI regulatory limits.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting proposal, but I have concerns about safety and certification. Retrofit karvana aasaan hai, but will the government ensure proper standards? Also, LPG cylinder safety in Indian conditions is a bit worrying. Need strict quality checks before rolling this out.
As someone who has lived in both Mumbai and LA, this seems like a smart interim step. The economics make sense - cheaper running costs and lower emissions. But India needs to ensure that conversion centers are properly regulated. Cost is one thing, quality is another. 🇮🇳
This is good for auto rickshaw and taxi owners in Tier 2 cities. Bajaj and other manufacturers already have LPG variants. But government needs to work on LPG station availability, especially in smaller towns. Currently CNG is more popular because of better infrastructure. Don't want a repeat of that situation.
The math adds up. 40% cheaper per kilometer and lower emissions - that's a win-win. But I wish the government would also focus on scrappage policy and incentivize people to get rid of older BS-II and BS-III vehicles altogether. Retrofitting older vehicles might not give the same benefits as newer ones.
Sensible approach while EVs mature. The 12-13% CAGR in pre-owned vehicles is substantial. Countries like South Korea and Turkey have done similar retrofit programs. India could learn from their implementation. The key is making it affordable for the common person without compromising on safety.
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