How much does it cost to convert a car to gas and how much is saved in consumption?

“From now on, vehicles up to 15 years old can be converted to gas “. With this sentence, the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications (MTT) announced an important change for motorists, which will see the margin of vehicles equipped with extended combustion engines which can be converted into compressed natural gas (CNG).

Published in the Official Gazette on August 30, the resolution amends MTT Supreme Decree No. 55 of 1988, extending to 15 year seniority limit for conversion to CNG, yes, the seven-year limit for conversion to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been maintained.

In this way, now vehicles manufactured from 2009 will be able to opt for conversion to CNG, while models that want to switch to LPG must belong from 2017.

The resolution was adopted, according to the newspaper El Pingüino, after a series of technical tests carried out in the Magallanes region with various old vehicles, in a process which was validated by the Ministry of Transport and which concluded with the publication of the new decree after having verified that the emissions remained constant or even decreased compared to conventional vehicles.

Rodrigo Benítez, general manager of the company RTI, one of the companies certified to carry out the conversion, commented on the new government measure that “we welcome the change in regulations which will allow many more users to use cleaner and cheaper fuel. Today, there are no technical obstacles so older cars that use CNG or LPG can opt for this dual fuel system. In addition to realizing savings of nearly 40%, they can increase their autonomy , emit less pollution and are also exempt from vehicle restrictions. The only limitation of this regulatory change is that CNG is only used in RM and Punta Arenas, with liquefied gas being the most widely used in the country, with supplies in all regions. We are already in talks with the authority so that automotive liquefied gas can be included”.

The announcement of the MTT is a new step which allows users to choose a fuel which can reach 35% savings compared to gasoline. Also, for those who don’t remember, it is an open alternative to all types of vehicles and not just taxis, buses and light and medium commercial vehicles, as it worked until a few years ago.

This situation changed in 2020, when it was published in the Official Gazette that any type of passenger car could be converted from petrol to gas in Chile.

The conversion, which must be carried out in one of the companies accredited by the Vehicle Control and Certification Center (3CV) operating in the country, is a relatively simple process.

Now, what happens during the conversion? In gasco.cl it is explained that “conversion is a peripheral intervention in the vehicle , where a conversion kit is installed consisting of a set of injectors, a vaporizer and a control computer, as well as a fuel storage tank in the trunk. The system takes signals and injection sequence from the gasoline system to inject gas in the precise quantity and order achieve optimum engine performance. The vehicle electronics are not affected by the operation of the kit”.

What’s interesting about the conversion is that the possibility of occupying gasoline is not eliminated , as it can be alternated as the user wishes. “With these dual systems, some can choose which fuel to use at any time while driving. Gasoline is used in starting the engine and after reaching normal engine operating parameters, the the gas computer takes control of the kit and automatically switches it to gas”, explains Rodrigo Benítez, of the company RTI.

Regarding conversion time and prices, Benítez points out that “depending on the vehicle to be converted, it may take one day in a 4-cylinder vehicle up to two days in the case of larger vehicles, such as vans with V6 or V8 engines.

Regarding the prices, the manager specified that “they vary according to the vehicle and the type of injection, so you can find kits of $720,000 up to $2,000,000 Tax included”.

The use of CNG has a series of advantages over gasoline-powered cars, highlighting savings a user can achieve Which one is almost 35% because the cost of compressed natural gas is much cheaper than gasoline.

According to the benzinasenlinea.cl site, in the metropolitan area, the average price of CNG is $803, while 93 octane gasoline costs an average of 1,233 liters.

But there is not only an economic benefit, there is also a environmental support because as indicated by Gasco on its website, natural gas “emits 80% less particles and contains 20% less CO2 than gasoline and 30% less than diesel”.

As if that were not enough, vehicles that use gas as fuel in the metropolitan area are exempt from vehicle restriction according to RES 1932 of the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, which results in an additional working day in the event of a restriction.

Finally, for those who doubt safety, Gasco indicates that “storage tanks are subject to the strictest safety rules quality and resistance, resistant to strong shocks and high temperatures, making it safer than a gas tank”.