Union Group Spearheading LPG taxis

[Genie47]

Just read it on todays ST (5 Dec 07).

 

They just sent the proposal to LTA. There is a test LPG taxi running around but I have not seen it.

 

It's slightly more expensive than CNG. Like CNG cheaper than diesel and petrol.

 

Delivery system is the same as CNG except that there is an evaporator instead of a pressure regulator. Cylinder is a tank and in this case, you can sacrifice the spare tire and put in place what is called a toroidal tank that fits the spare tire well. So you don't sacrifice boot space.

 

Refilling is at Union's bottling plant in Tuas.

Edited December 5, 2007 by Genie47

[Trex101]

LPG can go longer range when compare to similar size/vol CNG.

[Ahyoo2002]

Yah, heard about this and some people said this is old tech as compare to CNG.

 

Read one article a few days back on a Malaysian car converted to run LPG, and he is joking that he can use his LPG to do cooking as well.

 

And he mentioned that he can buy any LPG and no need to worry about running out of it.

[Ahyoo2002]

Dec 5, 2007

 

LPG-powered cabs could hit roads here

 

One cab brought in by LPG supplier Union Energy is awaiting approval

By Christopher Tan

PLANS to put cooking gas on the road are in the pipeline, with the arrival of the first LPG-powered taxi.

The cab, a two-litre Toyota Crown ordered by taxi operator Trans-Cab - a unit of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottler Union Energy - is awaiting green light from the authorities before it can be put on the road.

 

The Straits Times understands a multi-ministerial team will soon visit Hong Kong - one place in the region where LPG cabs ply - to study safety implications of using the gas for transport.

 

The gas is deemed more volatile than compressed natural gas - the other alternative fuel used by some taxis here.

 

A Land Transport Authority spokesman said the authority and the Singapore Civil Defence Force 'are currently evaluating the feasibility of allowing the use of LPG taxis in Singapore'.

 

The solitary LPG taxi will be part of the evaluation. It will be refuelled at Union Energy's gas bottling plant in Jalan Buroh, Jurong.

 

If it passes muster, the newcomer to the taxi trade plans to ply a fleet of 100 LPG cabs.

 

Union Energy managing director, Mr Teo Kiang Ang, said that the LPG taxi can take 70 litres worth of gas and can cover about 600km. Mr Teo said one litre of LPG costs '75 to 80 cents' which works out to be nine cents per kilometre, compared with 11 cents for diesel and seven cents for CNG.

 

Another attraction is that the cabs could be eligible for Singapore's green rebate which CNG vehicle buyers currently enjoy. This roughly equates to 40 per cent of the car's open market value and can be a difference of a few thousand dollars per vehicle.

 

CNG vehicles are also not liable for 'diesel tax', which can save $5,100 per cab per year.

 

For Mr Teo, the biggest draw is perhaps that an LPG fleet will have significant synergy with his core business.

 

Union Energy is a huge LPG supplier which delivers more than 1,500 gas cylinders a day, and owns one-third of the bottled LPG market here.

 

LPG is produced in the petroleum refining process, and has been used to power vehicles as early as the 1940s.

[Typhoonz]

Union got lots of gas mah so pushing for this lor...

[Apollo]

Since this is old tech and CNG experiments has gone more then 1 decade.

 

Must go there and visit meh? cannot teleconference meh?

 

Is LTA taking the opportunity and taxpayers $$ to HK for holiday and visit disneyland?

[Genie47]

LTA and all the gahment people never heard of reliable old technology. Must use new expensive sexy technology like hybrid and give out pitiful rebates.

[Apollo]

pls b grateful they giving out rebate. we r nt a welfare state...

 

housing n transport is worldclass affordable and subsidized.

[Ahyoo2002]