Auto LPG Body Urges Govt to Push Clean Fuel Before Environment Day
With more than 33 crore vehicles currently powered by petrol and diesel, vehicle emissions continue to be a major contributor to air pollution in cities
Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) urged government to fast-track clean fuel policies, highlighting Auto LPG’s environmental and economic advantages in India’s fight against vehicular pollution. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, also highlighted that about 40% of India's pollution is caused by the transport industry.
With more than 33 crore vehicles currently powered by petrol and diesel, vehicle emissions continue to be a major contributor to air pollution in cities. The third most widely used automobile fuel in the world, auto LPG, has a host of benefits to offer as a ‘Net Zero Hero’ that will not only improve the air quality but also safeguard the environment from further deterioration.
In addition to lowering dangerous emissions including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, Auto LPG improves fuel economy and saves operating expenses when compared to petrol and diesel. Currently, it powers over 27 million vehicles worldwide, with almost 2.4 million vehicles running on it in India. With minimal infrastructure investment required, it can serve as an immediate solution to vehicular pollution while complementing electric vehicle adoption efforts.
Suyash Gupta, Director General of Indian Auto LPG Coalition, stated, “India stands at a fundamental crossroads in its battle against air pollution and climate change. With over 33 crore petrol and diesel vehicles on our roads, an outright ban or phase-out is simply not feasible in the short term. By incentivizing and streamlining retrofitment to Auto LPG, we can convert millions of vehicles into clean, low-emission alternatives almost overnight. Auto LPG is not only cost-effective for consumers but also delivers immediate and significant reductions in harmful emissions, making our cities healthier and our air cleaner. The government must prioritize clean fuel policies and support retrofitment initiatives to ensure a sustainable and practical transition for India’s vast vehicle population. This World Environment Day, it's crucial for policymakers to champion clean fuel solutions and support large-scale retrofitment initiatives that can make our cities cleaner, safer, and more sustainable”
As reports indicate, the Centre is considering phasing out pure petrol and diesel vehicles in Delhi-NCR. Since there are so many of these cars, replacing them all would be extremely difficult from a logistical and financial standpoint. Promoting auto LPG retrofits instead provides a workable, quick fix to transform millions of current vehicles into clean, low-emission substitutes, improving public health and air quality rather quickly.
Autogas has been successfully incorporated into the transportation systems of nations including Ukraine, Poland, Korea, and Russia. Significant emission reductions have resulted from the supportive policies and incentives put in place by these countries.
In order to increase accessibility and encourage the use of cleaner fuels, the Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) has urged lawmakers to proactively include Auto LPG in the clean fuel narratives, encourage the OEMs to launch Auto LPG variants and reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on autogas conversion kits from 28% to 5%. This reduction would accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation.
As India looks to commemorate World Environment Day, the IAC urges policymakers to recognise the transformative potential of Auto LPG and retrofitment in building a cleaner, greener future.
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