Ideally, the type of fuel should be determined earlier than the make and model of the car. Because with the current model policy of manufacturers and the market situation in Ukraine, it is not always possible to choose the model you like with the desired type of engine (and therefore fuel). Especially when it comes to the secondary market, the supply on which today is formed without much regard for the wishes of buyers.
Meanwhile, in only one case can you change the type of fuel after purchasing the car – if it is gasoline, and you install gas equipment on it to run on gas. However, switching to gas is not available for all types of gasoline engines. But first things first.
Gasoline
Gasoline itself is not cheaper than diesel fuel, with which it most often competes – the price in Ukraine is almost the same. But most gasoline engines are simpler in design and significantly cheaper to repair than diesel engines. When it comes to new cars, this does not matter, but with used cars it is a strong argument in favor of gasoline and, accordingly, gasoline models. Today there is no point in talking about the difference in price between diesel and gasoline cars, although once upon a time new gasoline cars were about 10% cheaper.
Another plus, often decisive: it is the gasoline engine that can be equipped to work with gas equipment, although this does not make sense on all models.
Diesel
A modern diesel engine is a very controversial thing in relation to passenger vehicles. There is no doubt that it has one advantage over gasoline: efficiency. A diesel engine consumes fuel 30–40% less than a gasoline unit of similar power. Another, but not so clear, plus is that, other conditions being equal, a diesel engine usually has more torque, that is, it pulls better (accelerates the car) when accelerating, on a climb, or simply with a heavy load. Although this factor depends on the engine model, since there are gasoline turbo engines with hurricane acceleration and diesel engines that pull well only in a narrow speed range of about 1200 – 1500 rpm, which is clearly not enough to consider this an advantage.
Then the dubious features begin. The outstanding characteristics of current diesel engines are provided by a high-tech Common Rail fuel system. It consists of components that are very expensive both in themselves and in repair: these are at least 4 injectors and a high-pressure fuel pump. And when, after a run of 300 – 400 thousand km, such an engine has to be seriously repaired, all the savings on fuel over the previous years are simply leveled out. However, it is worth noting that diesel engines today tend to be more durable than most gasoline counterparts.
LPG/LPG gas
In order for a gasoline engine to run on gas, it must be equipped with an LPG kit. Passenger cars usually use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and together with installation, such a gas system costs $600 – $700. The price of a liter of gas is on average 40–60% of the price of a liter of gasoline, and the difference depends on the time of year. Given that a well-tuned engine consumes 10-15% more gas than gasoline, fuel savings reach 30-50%.
You can find out how quickly such an upgrade will pay for itself using an online calculator on the websites of installer companies. But from the experience of experienced Ukrainian motorists, it is known that on long-distance country routes, a car with an LPG refueling cost is approximately equal to a diesel engine of the latest generations.
However, when over time the need arises for serious repairs of a diesel and gasoline engine with LPG, the former will require incomparably more funds. Unfortunately, not every gasoline engine can be gasified – in the case of engines with a turbine or with direct fuel injection (FSI, TSI, GDI, HPi, etc.) this will be on the verge of profitability.
Electricity
It is generally accepted that an electric car helps the owner save money. In reality, this is not always the case and depends on where and how you charge the battery. If you charge at home from a regular outlet, an electric car’s kilometer will cost five to six times less than that of a gasoline car. But you will have to charge all night, about 7 – 10 hours. When the owner has a “high-speed” charging station at home, the battery will fill faster, but the real savings will be significantly less, because the station costs several thousand dollars, and it is not cheap to run a three-phase 380 V line to it.
If you “refuel” an electric car somewhere in the city or on the highway, at a so-called public “charging”, the savings will be only about 50% with slow refueling and about 30% with high-speed refueling. That is, there seems to be a benefit in any case, but it must be correlated with the higher cost of an electric vehicle and the limited battery life of 8–10 years, which again costs more than one or two thousand dollars.
In addition to the financial benefits, although not always straightforward, an electric car has other advantages. So, you don’t need to go to a gas station to get electricity; you can refuel with it at home, which to a certain extent adds independence to the owner. In addition, electric cars are easier to use and often more dynamic.
Regarding the disadvantages of electric vehicles of mass models, in addition to the long “refueling” (even a super-fast supercharger will not charge the battery in 10 minutes), one can name a limited range of 200 – 300 kilometers on one “tank”. To extend it, the driver has to save on turning on the air conditioning and heater.
In short
There is no ideal fuel – before purchasing a car, each user must take into account his own needs and expected operating conditions: daily and annual mileage, driving mode, his temperament, road conditions, monthly budget for maintaining his fleet. It is also important not to forget the period during which it is planned to operate the specified car, because this will help to correctly calculate its profitability.
2023-12-31 05:35:27
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