New Delhi, August 5: India’s rapidly growing used car market presents a significant opportunity to reduce urban pollution. In light of this, the government should implement a timely national retrofit policy to convert existing petrol and diesel vehicles to auto LPG. This demand was made by industry representatives on Wednesday.
The Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IALC), a leading organization promoting auto LPG in the country, stated that nearly 6 million used cars are sold annually in India, highlighting the urgent need for a dedicated retrofit policy.
According to the industry organization, such a policy could effectively reduce vehicle pollution and improve air quality, especially in pollution-affected areas like Delhi NCR and other major cities.
The report cited industry estimates indicating that the used vehicle market is growing at a much faster rate than new car sales. In 2023, approximately 4.6 million transactions of second-hand vehicles are expected, potentially exceeding 10 million by 2030, with an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12-13%.
The report also noted that for every new car sold in India, ownership of more than one old vehicle changes hands.
If even a fraction of the millions of petrol and diesel vehicles on Indian roads are converted to auto LPG, significant reductions in air pollution could be achieved. This would have a particularly positive impact in pollution-prone areas like Delhi NCR.
According to the report, until long-term technologies like electric vehicles and hydrogen are widely adopted, retrofitting could be the fastest and most practical solution for reducing emissions.
Suyash Gupta, the Director General of IALC, stated, “If India utilizes a fuel that is about 40% cheaper than petrol and significantly reduces emissions of particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides (NOx), we can rapidly decrease pollution from existing vehicles. This will benefit millions with better health and cleaner air, while electric and hydrogen options continue to develop in parallel.”
The report indicated that based on operating costs per kilometer, auto LPG is approximately 40-45% cheaper than petrol. The cost to convert a vehicle to auto LPG is around ₹30,000, significantly less than the several lakh rupees required for adopting electric vehicles.
The organization claims that LPG-powered vehicles can reduce carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbon emissions by nearly 50% compared to petrol vehicles. Additionally, NOx emissions are considerably lower, remaining below the limits set by BS-VI standards.
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