Are We Underestimating the Autogas Opportunity by Bart van Aerle, CEO, Westport Fuel Systems
Are We Underestimating the LPG/Autogas Opportunity?
The global mobility transition is changing our industry faster than ever. But after more than 25 years in the automotive and alternative-fuels industry, I believe we need to look at the transition from a broader perspective.
The future of mobility will not be defined by one technology. It will be defined by the solutions that can deliver real emissions reductions, at scale, at an affordable cost and at the speed society needs.
And that is why I believe we are underestimating the opportunity for LPG/Autogas.
Look at what is already on the road
The biggest opportunity may not be the next car that comes off the production line. It may be the millions of petrol vehicles that are already driving on our roads. These vehicles will remain in service for many years. In many markets, replacing them with new electric vehicles is simply not economically or practically possible at the required speed. This is where LPG can make a real difference as the fuel offers a distributed, storable energy source that can be used with existing vehicles, without depending entirely on additional grid capacity or charging infrastructure.
Modern LPG systems can be integrated with today's petrol engines, including advanced direct-injection technologies. We can take an existing vehicle and provide a pathway to lower emissions and lower operating costs without asking the owner to replace the entire vehicle.
From my perspective, this is one of the most underestimated opportunities in the mobility transition; reducing emissions from the existing vehicle fleet, which is getting older and older. I am not only talking about CO₂, but also about reducing particulate emissions (PM and PN), thereby improving air quality.
“Why wait ten years to reduce emissions from a vehicle that could be improved and converted today?”
Our infrastructure and experience are an asset
We should recognise something that other emerging technologies are still building: infrastructure.
The LPG industry already has extensive networks for production, storage, distribution, refueling and converting cars. That infrastructure represents billions in investment and decades of experience. We should not see it as a legacy. We should see it as an asset for the energy transition. And this becomes even more interesting when we look at renewable LPG and bioLPG. If the molecule becomes progressively more renewable, we can probably use much of the existing infrastructure, technology and vehicle ecosystem to deliver lower-carbon mobility. In other words, the transition does not necessarily mean throwing away what we have built. It can mean making what we have built progressively cleaner.
LPG technology has evolved with the automotive industry
One of the things I hear regularly is that LPG is an old technology. I understand where that perception comes from as it has been around for more than 70 years. But it does not reflect where the technology is today.
Over the years, we have continuously adapted LPG systems to the evolution of the automotive industry. Direct injection, sophisticated engine management and hybrid powertrains have changed the requirements dramatically — and our technology has evolved with them.
Today, LPG is already integrated into modern petrol vehicles and, increasingly, hybrid applications are approved by OEMs and car importers around the world. We are seeing the automotive industry explore new combinations of technologies, including LPG-hybrid and tri-fuel concepts. I find that development particularly exciting.
Because it demonstrates something important: We do not necessarily have to choose between technologies. We can combine them.
The hybrid opportunity
I believe hybrids deserve particular attention from the LPG industry. A hybrid still has a combustion engine. That engine can potentially run on LPG. So why should we think of electrification and Autogas as competing concepts?
A hybrid vehicle can use electric power where it is most efficient and LPG where range, refuelling time or operating cost becomes important. This opens the door to a new generation of Autogas applications. It also creates opportunities to work more closely with automotive manufacturers and importers as they develop powertrain strategies for different markets.
The recent development of LPG-hybrid vehicles by OEMs worldwide is an encouraging signal that this is already becoming more than a theoretical concept. Westport Fuel Systems' own portfolio is increasingly focused on the evolution of alternative-fuel technology and dedicated components like the electronic vaporiser eVP and the LPG tanks, across modern vehicle platforms.
Every market has a different transition
Another lesson I have learned from working internationally is that there is no single global mobility roadmap. Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East are all moving in different ways.
Europe remains strategically important because it combines sophisticated automotive technology, demanding emissions regulation and a mature alternative-fuels ecosystem. But some of the biggest growth opportunities may be in markets where vehicle affordability, infrastructure availability and fuel economics make the case for Autogas particularly strong. Africa, parts of Asia and Latin America, for example, have enormous potential.
In these markets, the question is often not: "When will every vehicle become electric?"
It is: "How do we make the vehicles people are driving today cleaner and more affordable?" That is a very different question — and one where LPG can be highly relevant.
What is the fastest, most affordable and most scalable way to reduce emissions in each market and vehicle segment?
The biggest opportunity is collaboration. If I look at the LPG industry today, I see enormous potential. But I also see fragmentation. We have technology companies, fuel suppliers, OEMs, distributors, installers, infrastructure operators and industry associations working across different parts of the value chain.
We need to connect those capabilities and speak more clearly to policymakers. And we need to accelerate the transition toward renewable LPG. No single company can do this alone. But together, the industry can create a much stronger proposition.
"How long will LPG remain relevant?"
I would say for a very long time and with renewable LPG even much longer. We already have many of the ingredients. We have proven technology. We have infrastructure. We have an enormous installed vehicle base. We have customers who need affordable mobility. We have OEMs worldwide exploring multiple powertrain strategies. And we have the potential to introduce increasingly renewable molecules into the existing ecosystem.
The opportunity is there. But opportunities do not become markets automatically. They require a long-term vision, leadership and investment from all involved, including policymakers. The mobility transition is happening.
Are we ready to take that opportunity? Come and join the conversation on October 15th #AutogasDay during Liquid Gas Week in Istanbul and make it happen.