Review
I understand that not everyone cares as much about the world we live in as I do, but to admit that he couldn't be bothered to fill up with LPG was less than I expected of him. However, a committed 'green' is now behind the wheel and I am fully prepared to go to the extra effort of visiting two separate pumps at filling-up time in a bid to do my bit for the environment.
Yes, it can be a nuisance but then again rinsing out my baked bean tins and putting them in a green box for the council to collect and recycle is a nuisance too, but one which I'm prepared to put up with.
There has been a fair bit of toing and froing on the subject of LPG on Fleet NewsNet recently. One fleet decision-maker recently said he had looked into buying some LPG vehicles but had dismissed the idea because of uncertainty over prices, running costs and residual values. Others hit back and accused the reader of failing to understand what savings were achievable.
I suspect that the truth lies somewhere in between but surely it is up to all of us to help out if we can.
My worry – and it is one which doesn't seem to have received much airplay – is that LPG is reckoned to be no more environmentally-friendly than petrol, as it is after all manufactured from crude oil. CNG (compressed natural gas) on the other hand, can be pumped straight out of the ground and into your car tank.
But CNG seems to have been very much pushed on to the back burner of late if you'll pardon the awful pun, being confined mainly to use by local councils.
There is a whole range of issues to be discussed here but I'll take my hat off to Volvo for at least putting its money where its corporate mouth is and actually building this vehicle for sale as opposed to merely talking about it.
